The European Union may soon run out of Russian gas, but it has ideas. In the light of war in Ukraine, this once abundant and cheap fossil fuel has become “a weapon” brandished by Moscow to weaken the Twenty-Seven, according to Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission. As the prospect of a total breakdown looms, Brussels has drawn up a list of measures that would reduce European gas consumption.
>> INFOGRAPHICS. Visualize the drop in Russian gas deliveries to Europe through the main gas pipelines
In an energy savings plan presented on Wednesday 20 July, the Commission calls on the efforts of “all consumers, public administrations, households, owners of public buildings, energy suppliers and the industry sector”. This plan will be on the menu for discussions in Brussels on Friday 22 July, before being proposed for approval by the energy ministers of the European Union on 26 July. Here’s what to remember.
Reduce gas consumption by 15%
Brussels wants to frame and coordinate the reduction of gas demand within the Twenty-Seven via a new regulation – a legally binding text adopted by qualified majority by the Council of the European Union. This tool would set in stone an objective of reducing gas consumption by 15% for each member country, between August 2022 and March 2023, compared to the average of the last five years over the same period. The States should detail by the end of September their roadmap to achieve this.
If, despite voluntary efforts, a “substantial risk of severe shortage or exceptionally high demand”Brussels is proposing to activate an alert mechanism that would make it possible to set “binding demand reduction targets” for the Twenty-Seven. It would then be up to governments to decide which industries to put on an energy diet in the event of an emergency.
To ensure that all member countries play the game, each of them should report every two months on the reductions recorded at national level, specifies the European Commission.
Limit heating and air conditioning
Brussels is also asking states to adopt binding measures to limit heating and air conditioning in public and commercial buildings, “where technically feasible”. These measures alone could make it possible to save some 11 billion m3 of gas, out of a total objective of 45 billion m3, according to the estimate announced by Ursula Von der Leyen. By way of comparison, in 2020 Russia had supplied some 153 billion m3 to European countries.
Some countries are already ahead of these measures. From the end of April, Italy announced that from May 1, schools and public buildings could not use air conditioning below 27°C in summer, compared to 26°C previously, nor on heating, below the 19° markVSunder penalty of a fine ranging from 500 to 3,000 euros.
Spain took similar measures at the end of May as part of an “energy efficiency plan”, just like Germany, in June, but without introducing any notions of constraints. Similarly, in France, these limitations already exist in the texts (a decree of 2007 or even an article of the Energy Code), without their compliance being guaranteed.
Encourage citizens to take action
The European Union also provides for these efforts to be carried out by industries, so that the supply of gas to “protected customers”such as households, social services, hospitals and SMEs (less than 37% of total gas consumption), is guaranteed. In terms of incentives, Brussels intends to encourage the use of alternative sources for district heating or heat pumps in private homes. Finally, to involve households in the effort, Brussels is counting on communication campaigns asking to lower the thermostat by 1°C this winter. A citizen contribution that would save “up to 10 billion m3 of gas per year”, according to the European Commission.
Diversify energy sources
Brussels also calls for diversifying energy sources. “Priority should be given to renewable energy, but switching to coal, oil or nuclear may be necessary on a temporary basis”, recognizes the Commission, however. Thus, many countries, such as Germany, the Netherlands, Austria or France, have announced in recent months the possibility of using their coal-fired power stations, which nevertheless emit much more greenhouse gases. Greenhouse.
For manufacturers, the text recalls the existence of alternative solutions to gas (switching to biomass or biomethane, electrification of certain machines, etc.). In sectors with little leeway to do without gas, such as chemicals which use it as a raw material, the European Commission points out that it would be “significantly less expensive” reduce their demand gradually rather than waiting for a sudden break.