Eurostat: Commission adopts amendment to energy statistics to further support the European Green Deal

Today, the European Commission has adopted the most encompassing amendment of the energy statistics regulation ever conducted. The aim is to support even further the European Green Deal. This amendment, which will enter into force in February, will provide statistics to monitor a number of policy initiatives to decarbonise the European economy, including the Energy Union and the Fit for 55 package, as well as the Hydrogen Strategy and the Initiative on Batteries. The new statistics will be first available in 2022. Commissioner for Economy, Paolo Gentiloni,said: “Today’s amendment to the energy statistics regulation marks a milestone on the path to a credible and evidence-based transition towards a climate-neutral economy. With this legal act, we set the pace for energy statistics worldwide, stay ahead of policy developments and already incorporate data needs from the Fit for 55 package and other important policy initiatives, in line with the Commission’s priorities.” With this amendment, the Commission will publish new and more detailed high-quality data on (i) new energy carriers (such as hydrogen), (ii) large-scale batteries, (iii) additional renewable fuels (as an example, heat pumps and solar PV production in buildings), (iv) the non-energy use of renewables (including bio-lubricants or bio-asphalt), (v) detailed breakdown of final energy consumption in the services sector (including data centres) and in transport activities, and (vi) specific final energy consumption in agriculture and in forestry. In addition, annual data will become available one month earlier (in October of the following year, instead of November). New statistical requirements on energy consumption, renewable energy, electricity, CHP (combined heat and power) and decentralised production will help monitoring  the current Renewable Energy Directive, the Energy Efficiency Directive, the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive, the Governance of the Energy Union and Climate Action  and the Resilience and Recovery Facility, which foresees sizeable funding for energy efficiency and renewable energy in buildings. Other modifications support the Common Agriculture Policy and the digital transition. More information is available online.