European industry from Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises and to large Energy Intensive Industries is key to job creation and growth. European industry is also key to decarbonization of the European economy and in this context energy efficiency is an important and cost efficient tool.
The objectives of the Working Group are:
- Identify and assess the main obstacles and drivers for improving energy efficiency industry;
- Identify best practices, their key features and possible obstacles they have to face, assessing the potential to replicate them under which circumstances;
- Formulate both general and specific recommendations to the EC on what tools and policy instruments are likely to be most effective for increasing energy efficiency investments in industry.
Timeline of WG activities
- July 15, 2020360-degree review of the entire sector to identify priority issues to be addressed
- October 1, 2020Thematic meeting on energy-intensive industries (EII)
- February 5, 2021Thematic meeting on opportunities for accelerating industrial energy efficiency investments in the context of the EU recovery
- May 5, 2021Thematic meeting on financing energy efficiency in industrial SMEs
- September 2021Thematic meeting on the role for financial institutions in financing industrial energy efficiency
- November 2021Thematic meeting on the multiple benefits of industrial energy efficiency
- January 2022Final Report
- December 12, 2022Published report
Emerging results
Energy Intensive Industries (EIIs) are increasingly looking at Paris alignment and deep decarbonisation through a combination of EE, RE, electrifications, new products, circular business models etc. To enable this, they seek partnerships with the EC and national governments on stable long-term policy frameworks, markets for new low carbon products, access infrastructure for RE, grants supporting technology innovation, and a levelled playing field for products with international.
For EII, partnerships and mutual commitments between governments and industries can create a framework for deep decarbonisation combined with long term competitiveness that facilitates access to long term commercial financing for green transition.
Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) investments in energy efficiency are hindered by non-technical barriers such as lack of time, lack of information, lack of trust in potential results, low energy costs, and lack of access to other finance than own equity. At the same time, they are often suppliers to large companies and therefore affected by the large companies’ decisions to extend GHG reporting and decarbonisation to scope 3 emissions in their supply chain.
For SMEs small investment size necessitates standardisation to bring the costs down and allow the aggregation that will attract standard lenders. Furthermore, credit risk on counterparts may require new business models and guarantee arrangements.
WG External Communications
Final report: Further improvements of energy efficiency in industry
Rod Janssen
WG leader
Rod has worked in the field of energy efficiency and renewable energy for over 30 years.
Carsten Glenting
WG co-leader
Carsten has 30 years’ experience in management consultancy, as CFO for an energy company, and as investment fund manager. He has extensive experience in energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Join EEFIG and engage
For more information about the Working Group, please contact rod [dot] janssen
ee-ip [dot] org (rod[dot]janssen[at]ee-ip[dot]org)
If you are interested into joining the EEFIG and engaging in WG activities, please apply for membership in the EEFIG