Page 63 - European Energy Innovation - Summer 2016 publication
P. 63
Summer 2016 European Energy Innovation 63
HEATING & COOLING
storage (UTES) stabilising the grid, and Having been neglected until relatively cooling systems. The results, which can
heat pumps providing thermal energy recently, policy making for renewable be found on the front website, show
and storage at an individual level. heating and cooling is nascent at for example that the residential sector
European, national, and local levels. is the least aware of renewables for
Renewables for heating and cooling This means there is another information heating and cooling, that most people
accounted for 51.5% of the total gap to be filled: how to build support seek advice from professionals with
renewable energy consumed in 2013, schemes to promote the transition to the internet and important information
but only 16.5% of the thermal energy a sustainable system. Some innovative source for many, and that most
demand. The potential is much higher, schemes have been created at all perceive renewables as requiring high
with the possibility to meet 25% of the levels of government, and information investment costs and delivering high
demand by 2020. This would more than about these schemes now needs to be savings- it is the same high investment
double the number of jobs (470,000 developed, assessed, and shared in costs that represent a major barrier to
in 2013) and save Europe €21.6 billion order for programmes to be developed switching fuel sources.
each year on energy imports compared and refined, and for best practices to
to 2012. be transferred between countries. This information will be used in
understanding both building policies,
Given the potential and the benefits The FROnT project is now studying the and to help authorities and businesses
we could expect the penetration of existing support schemes is looking at to communicate their ideas in ways
the market to be much deeper, but their impact in collaboration with the that accurately address the concerns
a lack of good quality, transparent authorities that implement them, and of end users. The project consortium is
information is holding back the business, agencies and consumers building a range of tools for consumers
development. which use them. These studies will help based on these results to both directly
in identifying the key success factors improve access to information, and to
The Levelised cost of electricity (LCoE) for support schemes, and once that is build a package of information, tools,
has long been established as a way established, it will be possible to create and guidance which can be built on by
to calculate the value of electricity guidance for the creation of future communicators working in all of the
by taking into consideration capital policies ensuring that the best lessons stakeholder groups.
costs, operations and maintenance, have been learnt and policies are
performance, and fuel costs; by optimised. Renewable heating and cooling will
establishing this value, electricity from develop in the future- it must if we
different sources could be compared. The consumer must remain central in are to meet our climate and energy
The Levelised Cost of Heat (LCoH) any discussion of how the future energy goals and protect the interests of
is now needed in order to similarly market will be developed; it is essential European citizens. To make this growth
compare heat from different sources. that changing technology and policies effective and efficient, we need more
The Fair RHC Options and Trade is in harmony with changing consumer information about costs are and what
(FROnT) project is undertaking this task. behaviour. Current behaviour can supporting measures work. Then,
The first step is to develop a commonly be measured in sales trends, but we need this information to be more
accepted methodology, which takes now thanks to a new study we are readily available to all- policy makers,
factors such as climatic or geological beginning to understand why those businesses and consumers. In this
conditions, demand profiles, system choices are made, and what factors way, development will be pushed by
performance into consideration. Next, a will influence future action. More increased demand and pull through
cost estimation tool will be developed than 4,000 consumers in the private flanking measure which enable
which will allow users to compare costs and public sectors as well as private development. l
online. This will be a breakthrough households have taken part in a study
in providing the missing information analysing the factors which influence CONTACT DETAILS
which prevents us from making reliable their decisions about maintaining,
estimations. installing, and renovating heating and www.front-rhc.eu
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
