Financing energy efficiency investments in the housing sector and small-scale energy systems

Panel: Panel 1: The foundations of a future energy policy. Longer term strategies

Author:
Ture Hammar, Danish Energy Authority, Denmark

Abstract

There is a huge ‘win-win’ potential for investments in small-scale sustainable energy projects throughout Europe. This highly feasible potential is found in existing housing as well as local infrastructure. But financing of such investments, especially in the less developed regions of Europe, needs ‘facilitation’ to happen. Financial instruments are now being devised along the lines of the clearinghouse facilities used in other sectors. A European working group with stakeholders, involving financial institutions, regional funds, EU Member States and local and regional authorities, has been established in order to consider and propose rearrangement of existing financing instruments, including focused organisation of clearinghouse-type instruments and measures to overcome barriers in Member States.

A number of newly initiated studies are supporting this work, including two projects called ”Regenergy” and ”ClearinghouseSupport”. The projects are carried out in co-operation between participants from many European countries, and they focus on energy efficiency investments in small-scale energy systems and in the housing sector. The studies are analysing the potential and feasibility of energy efficiency investments (especially the housing sector and small-scale infrastructure), giving input to the work on financial instruments and barriers, and proposing design of clearinghouse-type instruments, tailored for individual regions and local conditions. The studies are co-ordinated with similar studies and based on experience from previous European schemes and projects.