With the Energy Union Governance, Member States are required to use a common analytical basis to set their energy targets and measures, and present everything in one single document – the integrated national energy and climate plan (NECP). In this process, they shall take into account the interlinkages between the five dimensions of the Energy Union, in particular the energy efficiency first principle.
This principle is further defined: Member States shall consider alternative cost-efficient energy efficiency measures which would allow achieving the objectives of the concerned energy planning, policy and investment decisions/measures by replacing them in whole or in part.
This paper further elaborates on the history and the benefits of this approach. It also presents a review of 10 draft NECPs submitted by Member States to the Commission (see list in Annex I), with the aim to assess how the energy efficiency first principle was taken into account.
Study by Marion Santini with contributions from Ioana Bere and Stefan Scheuer (Stefan Scheuer Consulting)
Commissioned by European Climate Foundation