LIFE projects support the push to decarbonise European industry

The two-day conference, organised by the European Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (eceee), focused on innovative decarbonising processes and more efficient use of resources and materials - as well as new policy drivers and business models. Among those showcasing their pioneering work were two LIFE projects, Energy Efficiency Watch 5 (EEW5) and Odyssee-Mure. 

Odyssee-Mure took the stage during the opening plenary, presenting its 2023 scoreboard which ranks European Member States according to their energy efficiency level, energy efficiency progress and energy efficiency policies. According to the latest data and findings Luxembourg, Germany and France are occupying the top three places.  

As Odyssee-Mure’s technical coordinator Wolfgang Eichhammer emphasised in his presentation, Europe has raised its ambition on energy efficiency. He cited the revised Energy Efficiency Directive, established as a fundamental principle of EU energy policy. It imposes a binding obligation for EU countries to collectively ensure an additional 11.7 percent reduction in energy consumption by 2030 compared to 2020 projections. 

Dr Eichhammer also underlined the role of scoreboards in evaluating the progress and efforts of EU Member States, identifying areas where the EU needs to intensify its efforts. The 2023 scoreboard aims to offer a comprehensive perspective on a country's energy efficiency performance in comparison to its European peers. Using statistical data spanning several decades, it also anticipates the future effects of existing energy efficiency programmes based on data retrieved from Odysee database for energy efficiency indicators and the MURE database for energy efficiency policies. 

Also playing a prominent role at the conference was Energy Efficiency Watch 5 (EEW5), who hosted a workshop focusing on developing narratives to support energy efficiency in the industry. EEW5 -a three-year LIFE project - aims to support the public sector to implement the EU Green Deal and its energy efficiency policies.  

Led by Daniel Becker, a partner at Guidehouse and member of the EEW5 project team, the workshop focused on collecting narratives from businesses which have already embarked on their energy efficiency and decarbonisation journeys. Participants then went on to discuss working hypotheses and develop key arguments to emphasise the positive aspects of industrial transformation. 

Conference participants also had the chance to visit the LIFE Programme's stand which showcased a number of LIFE projects involved in energy efficiency, decarbonisation and transformation. As the industry continues to transform, events such as the eceee conference provide crucial platforms for collaboration, discussion and the exchange of innovative ideas.