On November 28, 2017 two reports on the revision of  Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) and on the recast of the Renewable Directive of 2009 were approved by the EP ITRE (Industry and Research)Committee, boosting the EU Energy efficiency binding target to 40% plus binding national targets, as well as the RES target up to 35%,EC proposal was 27%,  and non-binding national targets. In addition the share of renewable energy consumption in transport by to at least 12%, including renewabel electricity and hydrogen up form 10% in the last Directive.on resp Energy Efficiency and o were approved boosting .

ITRE voted for a binding 40% EU-wide Energy Efficiency target and binding national energy efficiency targets for 2030, covering “the full energy chain, including energy generation, transmission, distribution and end-use”. Member States remain free to set their national targets based on either primary or final energy consumption, primary or final energy savings, or energy intensity. Continuity of heat supply (art. 15) covered by amendment 616  is requiring Transmission System Operators (TSOs) and Distribution System Operators (DSOs) to “take into account the need to ensure continuity in heat supply when connecting, guaranteeing access to the grid and dispatching high efficiency cogeneration”. This will ensure TSOs/DSOs do not only consider the ‘electricity side’ of CHP for flexibility services to the grid. It reflects that a system approach was taken and ensures that industrial CHP users can chose between providing flexibility to the grid or focus on supplying heat for industrial processes, protect them against unexpected losses of heat supply.

The final vote on the recast of the Renewable Directive did not amend a required “direct link to  renewable power plants for grid balancing solutions”, like electrolysers, costing the H2 sector to accelrate lobbying an opening to remove this requirement in view of the next COREPER meeting on December 18. The ITRE Committee, also voted for an assessment of barriers to RES self-consumption, with a view to remove those barriers and promote it through different types of incentives; requires that self-consumed electricity from RES is free of charge, fees or taxes. High efficiency district heating i.e. supplied by renewable fuels, waste heat/cold or high efficiency cogeneration, like fuel cells is exempt from allowing access to third party suppliers of heat.