🌱 What is planned?
On 7 December 2023, the European Parliament and European Council reached a provisional agreement to revise the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD). Under the revised EPBD, EU Member States will be required “to reduce the average primary energy use of residential buildings by 16% by 2030, and 20-22% by 2035”. For non-residential buildings, a “gradual improvement via minimum energy performance standards” is required. Concretely, this means that “[t]he 16% and 26% worst-performing buildings will need to be renovated by 2030 and 2033, respectively”. Moreover, Member States must make sure that “new buildings are fit to host rooftop solar PV or solar thermal installations”. For existing buildings that are in public and non-residential use, “solar will need to be gradually installed” as of 2027, if it is “technically, economically and functionally feasible”.
🌱 How will the reductions be achieved?
EU Member States have some discretion in how they implement the new measures under the revised EPBD. They will, for example, be able to “choose which buildings to target and which measures to take”. Moreover, “historical buildings or holiday homes can be exempted” from the measures. Yet, the measures implemented will have to ensure that the renovation of the worst-performing buildings will lead to an at least 55% decrease in their average primary energy use.
🌱 What measures are in place?
Under the revised EPBD, EU Member States must put into place “national building renovation plans” and “national building renovation passport schemes”. In the renovation plans, States must “set out the national strategy to decarbonise the building stock”. They must also outline “how to address remaining barriers, such as financing, training and attracting more skilled workers”. Through the passport schemes, States must “guide building owners in their staged renovations towards zero emission buildings”. The revised EPBD also requires that financing measures be made available “to incentivise and accompany renovations”. Notably, these must particularly cater to “vulnerable customers and [the] worst-performing buildings”.
🌱 How could the use of solar panels be made more sustainable?
Most of the solar panels used in the EU are imported from China. While the transport of solar panels to Europe accounts for only 3% of their total emissions, the type of energy used for their production plays a larger role. According to the Fraunhofer Institute, 40% of the CO2 emissions released through the production of solar panels could be saved by manufacturing the panels in Europe. The main reason for this is that “more coal-fired electricity flows into the [Chinese energy] grid” than the European one.
Read more about the EU’s solar energy strategy here:
- https://ec.europa.eu/commission/presscorner/detail/en/ip_23_6423
- https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/renewable-energy/solar-energy_en
- https://www.tagesschau.de/wissen/technologie/photovoltaik-recycling-101.html