Given the challenges to energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy due to liberalised energy markets, increasing concern about security of energy supply, climate change and the EU enlargement process, just to mention some, new efforts and innovative solutions are needed. The Green Paper on Security of Energy Supply sets forth the framework of a long-term energy strategy. Demand policy needs to be put at the centre of our action: there is a need of a real change in consumer behaviour. With regard to supply, priority must be put on the development and use of new and renewable energies.
Technological, regulatory and non-regulatory innovation can help to reinforce the impact of our energy strategy and to achieve our targets. However, market barriers exist that prevent the satisfactory diffusion and take-up of new and existing solutions to increased energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources. Today, very often solutions are available in pilot actions, agencies, studies and even in small scale programmes in given sectors and geographical areas. A reinforced dissemination and replication of the available solutions to our energy problems is needed.
The role of local and regional actors is decisive in this context. This is why the Commission continues awarding start-up funding for the creation of local and regional energy management agencies under the SAVE programme. Their main objective is to improve energy efficiency, to make the most of local energy resources – new or conventional - and to seek optimum energy-supply conditions for regions and urban areas. This involves particularly supporting the ability of local decision-makers to take appropriate decisions and to interact directly with consumers in order to alleviate barriers to energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy. Today, in addition to already existing energy management agencies, there are some 250 local and regional SAVE energy management agencies in the EU and a few in the EEA and in the Central and Easter European countries (CEEC). Given the existence of the critical mass of energy management agencies in the EU, the focus of the Commission is now on reinforcing the existing local and regional energy management agencies and on the creation of new agencies in the CEECs. Additionally, a few new agencies will be created in specific areas in the EU.