European reliance on Russian gas can be cut with efficiency drive
Europe could cut its dependence on gas from Russia with a major push on energy efficiency, a think-tank has urged.
If the European Union made improving energy efficiency the centrepiece of its strategy on energy, it could cut its reliance on gas by a third by 2030, equivalent to the proportion of the EU’s gas demand met by imports from Russia.
A move to significantly boost energy efficiency in appliances, buildings and industry across Europe would also slash the EU’s fuel bill by €500bn up to 2030, a report from UK-based think-tank IPPR said.
In the shadow of the Ukraine crisis, the report calls for a 35% binding energy saving target as part of the package of climate and energy measures being drawn up by the European Commission for 2030.
The target is higher than the 30% proposed by the Commission, which did not initially put forward an energy efficiency target as part of the 2030 target but later did following support for such a move from at least seven governments.
The IPPR report warns that more than half of Europe’s energy is imported, including 90% of oil, two-thirds of gas and 62% of its coal.
It said that 24 out of 28 EU member states import gas from Russia, half of which flows through Ukraine, while six EU countries are completely reliant on Russia for all of their gas.
Russia receives around €31bn a year from the EU for imported gas.
The study also said that Europe’s energy bill could reach €475bn a year, with most of the projected increase in consumer costs expected to come from rising fossil fuel prices, as well as replacing ageing and polluting energy infrastructure.
The report also calls for a EU-wide commitment to halve greenhouse gas pollution by 2030, with binding emissions targets for each member state, and for a legally-binding goal to boost renewables by 30% by then.
