Background information

Since the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, the demand for local and clean heating solutions has been increasing in Europe. At the same time, the demand for cooling in EU countries is also increasing, which is related to the effects of global warming, even in the northern reaches of the EU. There is both a need and an opportunity to effectively decarbonize both of these processes.

On 12 May 2023, 11 European organizations dealing with the practical implementation of new energy technologies presented to the European Commission their action plan for the decarbonization of heating and cooling in Europe. Work on the plan has been ongoing since October 2022.

The authors of the plan are the following organizations: EUROHEAT&POWER, BIOenergy EUROPE, EBA European Biogas Association, ENERGYCITIES, CEE Bankwatch Network, ESTELA European Solar Thermal Electricity Association, Solar Heat Europe, EGEC Geothermal, ehpa European heat pump association, EPEE, COGEN EUROPE.

Content of measure

The main elements of the proposed plan are as follows:

• Streamlining financing for renewable and clean heat projects which includes: creating an EU heat fund or mandatory requirements for national heat funds, providing special funds for public pre-financing of heat decarbonization or enabling member states to do so, creating priority lanes for public aid projects related to clean heat.
• Empowering local authorities and consumers, including: to support building owners and consumers in finding the most appropriate clean heating and cooling solutions, ensuring financial instruments available to local authorities, proper financial support for local authorities in relation to fulfil the climate commitments.
• Creating a level playing field for clean heating and cooling solutions, including recovery and use of available and existing sustainable heat sources, use of renewable sources, modernization of heating and cooling networks.
• Preserving the European leadership in clean heat technology and value chains, which includes, for example, creating an accelerator for the production of heating and cooling systems, reducing risks for EU manufacturers, using digital technologies and augmented reality to enable ensure workforce to develop clean solutions.

Use of measure

No available information.

Target groups

Workers	Businesses	Citizens
Does not apply to workers	Sector specific set of companies	Applies to all citizens

Actors and funding

Actors	Funding
National government Company / Companies Local / regional government EU (Council, EC, EP)	Companies European Funds Local funds National funds

Social partners

Social partners' role in designing the measure and form of involvement:

	Trade unions	Employers' organisations
Role	No involvement	Unknown
Form	Not applicable	Not applicable

Social partners' role in the implementation, monitoring and assessment phase:

• Unknown
• Main level of involvement: N/A

Involvement

The initiative was prepared by European organizations that do not participate in sectoral dialogue at EU level. It is part of the Just Transition strategy, but there is no knowledge whether social partners were involved in its preparation.

Views and reactions

No reaction from social partners has been recorded so far.

Sectors and occupations

This case is not occupation-specific.

Sources

• 12 May 2023: A European "Action plan for heating and cooling decarbonisation": the key towards climate resilience and energy independence (www.euroheat.org)