The European Commission yesterday unveiled tough new energy efficiency plans with the aim of cutting the EU's energy consumption by 20 per cent by 2020.
The commission believes the plans will cut €100 billion a year off the bloc's energy bill and slash EU annual oil imports by 390 million tonnes.
Among the targets of the plan will be televisions with wasteful standby settings and DVD players that are constantly on.
The commission wants new minimum design regulations for 14 priority items, including boilers, televisions, air conditioners, washing machines and fridges, and has proposed extending EU rules on energy saving building designs to smaller buildings from 2009.
It also suggests that all new cars should emit no more than 120g of CO2 per km by 2012.
Announcing the proposals, energy commissioner Andris Piebalgs said: "Europe wastes at least 20 per cent of the energy it uses. By saving energy, Europe will help address climate change, as well as its rising consumption." Referring to the aim to fill the gaps in the EU's carbon emission trading scheme (ETS), the commissioner said the proposals would cut down CO2 emissions by 780 million tonnes a year.
The commission is hoping that energy inefficient products will be shamed off the market through a system of performance rating and eco-labelling, noting that switching to green lightbulbs alone would mean a 60 per cent cut in the electricity used to light a household.
Products such as modems and phone chargers eat up as much as 20 per cent of household energy use - half of this is when the appliances are on standby. This wastage that could be completely cut, according to the commission.
The commission is also considering a system of eco tax. Mr Piebalgs said this had nothing to do with harmonising tax systems, but would be about providing incentives to be energy efficient.
A large part of the commission's plans, running to 75 measures to be introduced over the next six years, will be reliant on getting people to change their energy-wasting behaviour. Brussels is to begin a major public awareness campaign about energy saving.
The measures - which need to be approved by member states - come at a time of rising energy prices and increased dependency on Russia for gas and oil supplies, an issue set to be discussed today by EU leaders in Finland.
Main points
• By 2012, all new cars should emit no more than 120g of CO2 by per km. This relies on voluntary commitments by industry but the commission has said it is willing to legislate.
• Current EU rules on energy efficiency in buildings will be extended to smaller buildings. In 2009, household items such as washing machines and fridges are to be subject to new energy-efficient design rules. The commission is also considering a form of eco-tax.
