On March 2017, the European Commission launched a review of Regulation (EC) No 1099/2008 on energy statistics. ESTIF welcomed this as an opportunity to bring much needed clarification to a very important piece of legislation, and to redress existing shortcomings in the text.

Energy statistics represent a crucial issue in the light of the current developments of EU policies in the field of climate and energy. Key legislation underpinning the energy sector, such as those proposed under the Clean Energy Package, must rely on accurate energy data, representing the reality of the energy sector as closely as possible. Accordingly, the regular updates should be an opportunity for EU statistics to better portray the energy sector.

The current Regulation bundles together, under the denomination of ‘Solar Thermal’, both solar thermal-electric plants, and ‘equipment for the production of domestic hot water or for the seasonal heating of swimming pools’.

Although the Commission proposal brings some concrete improvements to the original text, for instance including space heating under the solar thermal for heating and cooling technology, the solar thermal electricity and solar thermal for heating and cooling industries believe the difference between those two technologies, should be better represented in official statistics and hence in this Regulation, by having two separate, more accurate definitions.

For this reason, ESTIF coordinated a joint statement, together with the solar thermal electricity association, ESTELA, on the definition of solar thermal in the revision of the Regulation, proposing a clearer separation between the two technologies.

To access the Commission webpage on the Energy Statistics consultation, please click here.

To access the joint ESTIF-ESTELA statement, please click here.

For more information, contact Stefano.lambertucci(at)estif.org.