Climate protection is impossible without energy efficiency
Energy efficiency as a European goal - all member states are called upon to act
Energy efficiency is a central goal of the European Union (EU). The EU Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) is an important management tool that came into force for the first time in 2012. In the summer of 2018, the directive was amended for the period 2021 - 2030. The compromise for the new version provides for the EU to increase its energy efficiency by 32.5 percent by 2030 compared to 2007. The member states should jointly achieve the goal through voluntary contributions and thus make a significant contribution on the way to achieving the Paris climate protection targets.
In order to close possible gaps in the achievement of targets, the Governance Regulation provides a robust and transparent framework for all Member States. The regulation stipulates that the EU states must draw up national energy and climate plans (NECPs) in which they formulate national targets and specifications and outline measures for achieving them. A robust governance system in energy and climate policy ensures that all member states pull together.
From 2023 onwards, the Member States are to submit progress reports every two years on the state of implementation of the plans; from 2024 onwards, the plans could be updated again. The NECPs and progress reports are evaluated by the EU Commission. If the national contributions are not sufficient for the 2030-EU targets, the Commission makes recommendations to individual Member States.
Energy efficiency in Germany–
National Energy Efficiency Action Plan (NAPE) and Energy Efficiency Networks
With the National Action Plan on Energy Efficiency (NAPE) In the last legislative period, the Federal Government launched a comprehensive package of measures to exploit the potential for energy efficiency in Germany as comprehensively and across sectors as possible. Declared goal of the Federal Government: by 2050, Germany should consume 50 percent less primary energy than in 2008. The most important fields of action for energy efficiency policy are: Promote energy efficiency in buildings and in industry, commerce, trade and services, establish energy efficiency as a yield and business model and increase personal responsibility for energy efficiency. The NAPE measures are currently being revised and converted into a NAPE 2.0 in order to counter a possible gap in achieving the efficiency targets with an effective set of measures.
Another key measure of the NAPE is the creation of Energy Efficiency Networks (only in german) together with industry and commerce. In December 2014, representatives of the German government and the leading German trade associations and organisations signed an agreement on the introduction of energy efficiency networks. The aim of the agreement was to initiate and implement around 500 new energy efficiency networks for companies by the end of 2020. 220 networks are currently registered with the initiative.
Although companies in mechanical and plant engineering do not belong to the category of energy-intensive industries, such as building materials, chemicals, glass, non-ferrous metals, paper and steel, they play a central role as "technological enablers" of energy efficiency. As a manufacturer of cross-sectional technologies such as pumps, fans, motors and drives, mechanical engineering has a decisive role to play in increasing efficiency potentials. For this reason, the VDMA is involved as a network carrier within the framework of the Energy Efficiency Networks initiative.
Energy efficiency at the Hanover Fair 2019
In an increasingly decentralised energy market, innovative technologies are needed that make the electricity system more flexible, intelligently couple sectors and integrate new market participants. At Integrated Energy the leading international trade fair for integrated energy systems for industry, heat and mobility, as part of Hanover Fair (1 to 5 April), exhibitors will show how industrial companies can save enormous costs by using energy more efficiently and thus increase their competitiveness. Here also the Digitalization in mechanical and plant engineering plays an important role.
On 2 April, efficiency technologies will be at the focus of the Integrated Energy Forum (Hall 27, Boot L55) at Hanover Fair. The visitors of the forum can gain a comprehensive overview of the various potentials of efficiency technologies and their regulatory hurdles.
If you want to design production processes that are energy-efficient and sustainable, you can't avoid cross-sectional technologies. At the leading international trade fair for pressure and vacuum technology, ComVacThe latest technical innovations in the field of compressed air and vacuum technology will be presented.
Since 2015, the VDMA has established an intra-group network for a company with various locations and eight regional energy efficiency networks in which around 65 companies successfully cooperate. The tenth VDMA network will start in March 2019, as the Ostwestfalen Lippe network enters its second round. In addition to the relaunch of existing networks, the foundation of further efficiency networks is also planned - the next in the Oberbergisch Südwestfalen region of North Rhine-Westphalia.
The efficiency Network Northern Bavara ended its two-year term in March 2018 - here is a summary of the results: ten manufacturing companies from the mechanical engineering and plant construction sectors are organized in the network. The companies have agreed on common goals and measures, which the VDMA, as the network sponsor, now sums up positively.
In the Network Northern Bavaria, more than half of the energy efficiency measures counted were lighting, heating and hot water. Other measures were also dominated by cross-sectional technologies such as electric drives, pumps and compressed air. Around 90 percent of the energy saved was accounted for by this category. In addition, measures were initiated which are difficult to evaluate from an energy point of view, such as employee sensitization and the installation of measurement technology systems for energy data analysis, but which nevertheless have great potential for savings.
Energy efficiency in production processes has been on the agenda of the Network Northern Bavaria network since June 2018 during the new network term. The connection with production processes increases complexity and poses a great challenge for companies.
The bottom line - Experience and results of the Energy Efficiency Networks Initiative
On the basis of previous experience with existing or completed energy efficiency networks in Germany, the German government assumes that the planned measures could lead to savings of up to 75 petrajoule (PJ) of primary energy or 5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions by 2020. The German government's network initiative thus makes an important contribution to achieving the climate and energy policy goals of the Federal Republic of Germany. In addition, it aims to increase energy efficiency in order to improve the international competitiveness of the German economy and to open up new business models.
One current survey (only in german) among network carriers and moderators of the initiative has shown that energy-efficient heating technologies play an important role for companies - 92 percent of the networks optimize heat generation in the participating companies, 89 percent implement measures in the area of waste heat. Further optimisation measures are being taken in the area of pumps (88 percent) and lighting (88 percent). Less investment is being made in motors and drives (81 percent, 2017: 92 percent) and ventilation technologies (66 percent, 2017: 81 percent). New network topics include renewable energies (74 percent), mobility (52 percent) and digitization (43 percent).
The Annual event of the Initiative Energy Efficiency Networks (only in german) will take place on 3 April 2019 at the Hanover Fair. Partners of the initiative, network participants and interested parties exchange views on current topics relating to energy efficiency networks and discuss these with stakeholders from politics, business, science and interest groups. Among other things, technology-specific tours, a trade fair map with exhibiting network members and an award ceremony for the most innovative networks are planned.