Employment in the Energy Sector: Status Report 2020

The green economic and clean energy transition are already underway worldwide and in Europe. This report provides an overview of recent employment trends at the global and EU-28 level related to the greening and decarbonisation of the economy, with a focus on the energy sector. It brings together and presents statistical data and the results of recent employment assessment reports. In addition, the report examines qualitative aspects, including education as well as skills requirements and changing talent profiles in the green transition. It addresses workforce characteristics, including gender and generational aspects. The report concludes by highlighting key figures and providing policy recommendations to overcome labour force related barriers as part of a just transition to a cleaner energy system.JRC.C.7-Knowledge for the Energy Unio

Climate Change and Sustainable Energy Action at the City Level: The Hungarian Experience

Cities are increasingly acknowledged as an appropriate governance level to tackle climate change; they both cause and are affected by this global challenge. While the case of sustainable, climate friendly cities in Western democracies has been analysed extensively, experiences from transition countries have received less attention. This article aims to address this research gap. Through the experience of two case studies conducted in Hungary, it identifies why middle-sized cities engage in sustainable energy and climate action. The main drivers are identified as the energy cost reduction related co-benefits derived from energy efficiency improvements, combined with the presence of local political leadership that is committed to sustainable energy and climate action. The role of favourable factors, including the presence of national support programmes for energy efficiency improvement in buildings, EU membership, the joining of national and transnational networks of sub-national governments for sustainable energy and climate action, health and fuel poverty concerns, are explored in the Hungarian context. Barriers to achieving the transition to a low carbon society at the city level are also identified. These include financing constraints combined with high up-front costs of sustainable energy investments, lack of strategic guidance from the national level in terms of climate change and sustainable energy action in cities, and a low level of local public pressure and civil engagement. Areas where local authorities could implement improvements are the development of comprehensive climate change strategies and action plans, including quantified, time-bound targets identifying financing sources and the individuals responsible for implementation, as well as the enhanced integration of climate action with other policy areas.JRC.F.7-Renewable Energ

Drowning the suburb: settlement planning and climate change adaptation in a Hungarian metropolitan area

Urban planning can contribute to reducing vulnerability to the impacts of climate change (including the expected increased occurrence of extreme weather events) in metropolitan areas. However, lack of urban governance and planning focusing on the metropolitan area as a whole, and decisions that do not take into account sufficiently the occurrence of such events can substantially increase the cost of recovery from weather related disasters. This policy study connects climate change adaptation, urban planning and metropolitan governance issues in the Hungarian context, focusing on the the June 2010 floods in the town on Felsőzsolca, in the Miskolc metropolitan area. A review of key literature is provided on the impacts of climate change in cities and on governing climate action in metropolitan areas. Events leading up to and following the June 2010 Felsőzsolca flood are analysed from the perspective of urban planning. Based on evaluation criteria including effectiveness, cost-effectiveness, institutional capacity, transparency, political feasibility and time, four policy options are identified for climate action related governance and planning in metropolitan areas, in the Hungarian context. Based on the above criteria, formalized horizontal partnerships between local authorities within the metropolitan area are chosen as the most favourable and currently most feasible policy option in Hungary.JRC.F.7-Renewable Energ

The leading role of the public sector in energy end-use efficiency in the EU: Where do we stand?

The leading role of the public sector is a key element of EU end-use energy efficiency policy. Several Community level regulatory instruments, including the Energy Services Directive (ESD), the recast Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) and the new Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) include provisions focusing on the public sector. Under the ESD member states of the EU shall ensure that the public sector fulfils an exemplary role in energy end-use efficiency. Furthermore, the ESD sets out a specific list of measures in public procurement, of which two must be identified and implemented by the member states. The recast EPBD provides for an earlier date of compliance with nearly zero-energy efficiency requirements of new buildings owned and occupied by public authorities. The new EED introduces a quantified refurbishment target for central government buildings. However, the rest of the public sector will not fall under this provision and is also excluded from energy efficiency requirements for purchasing products, services and buildings. In the first section of the article a summary is provided of the key building blocks of EU energy efficiency policy that promote the leading role of the public sector. The second section of the paper contains an overview of progress against public sector related ESD provisions based on information in the second National Energy Efficiency Action Plans (NEEAPs). In some cases the reports reflect shortfalls in implementing existing legislation for the wider public sector, including on energy efficient public procurement requirements. At the same time measures and packages of measures presented by some member states indicate more comprehensive action regarding the leading role of the public sector. The last section of the paper takes a look at the public sector relevant provisions of the new EED and proposes possible ways of strengthening them if progress against the 2020 energy saving targets is found to be insufficient.JRC.F.7-Renewable Energ

On the way to change of scale: review of NEEAPs' energy efficiency strategies for buildings

International audienceThe review of the second National Energy Efficiency Action Plans (NEEAPs) of EU Member States has shown that many of them are facing a critical challenge in terms of changing the scale of energy efficiency improvement efforts. Their objectives for 2016 or 2020 reflect a very significant increase in the delivery of actions and/or energy savings (often 5 to 10-fold in the annual rate of actions for the residential sector).This paper first analyses the key barriers to address for achieving these changes of scale. Then it highlights a selection of measures that represent examples useful for policy-makers in terms of strategies for scaling up the energy efficiency programmes.These selected measures deal with such key energy efficiency policy components or objectives as funding mechanisms, training of skilled staff, and mobilization of relevant actors. They intend to support an increase in the number and/or in the quality of actions implemented. The types of measures covered include schemes to stimulate the offer of energy savings actions or packages, to involve construction or renovation companies, to encourage comprehensive renovations at the district level, performance-based financial incentives, financial guarantees, knowledge sharing and training. The paper brings a useful insight, especially for Member States preparing detailed roadmaps to structure their energy efficiency strategies for buildings, as required by the new Energy Efficiency Directive (2012/27/EU)

SETIS Magazine: Jobs and skills in the energy transition

The SETIS magazine aims at delivering timely information and analysis on the state of play of energy technologies, related research and innovation efforts in support of the implementation of the European Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET-Plan). The current issue is dedicated to Jobs and skills in the energy transition. The foreword is provided by Rabia Ferroukhi on Renewable energy jobs: The EU within the wider global context, working at the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). This issue also hosts interviews with: •Ton van Dril and Marc Marsidi, working at ECN part of TNO. •Amandine De Coster-Lacourt, working at the European Commission's Executive Agency for Small and Medium Enterprises. •Paola Mazzucchelli, working at the European Renewable Energy Research Centres Association (EUREC). •Lidia Borrell-Damian, working at European University Association (EUA). •Wolfgang Eichhammer and Matthias Reuter, working at the Competence Centre Energy Policy and Energy Systems of the Fraunhofer Institute. In this issue, the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) contributes with an article on The transition towards Cooperative, Connected and Automated Mobility (CCAM): what impact can it have on employment in the EU?.JRC.C.7-Knowledge for the Energy Unio