The EU will prohibit renting homes with low energy rating

The European Commission finalizes the second part of the package of measures against climate change Fit for 55. The Community Executive will decide this Monday the issues that will finally be included within this second battery of measurements which is scheduled to be presented on December 14.

According to sources from the European Commission, this second package will include regulation to reduce methane emissions, the boost to hydrogen as well as an important package of measures to boost energy efficiency in buildings.

The European Commission wants to give specific weight to energy efficiency certificates. The institution wants these documents can serve to promote reform So a building or living room with the lowest energy rating will not be able to go on the rental market until it is upgraded.

Likewise, the European Commission is preparing to regulate hydrogen with measures similar to natural gas. Specifically, it will force the separation of distribution tasks from commercialization, as is the case with gas.

The Commission considers that technology is not yet capable of electrify some production processes. For this reason, hydrogen is considered to play an important role as a substitute for natural gas for transport or aviation.

The new package will also establish the regulation of hydrogen tariffs to give them certainty. The Commission will apply a transitional period until 2030 when the final rules are expected to go into effect.

Refuses to reform the wholesale market, but will regulate joint purchasing

The Community Executive will facilitate integration into the system hydrogen and biomethane gas (renewable gas) with discounts in the rate when moving from one state to another, for the use of regasification plants, for gas storage in order to achieve a competitive advantage over natural gas.

The intention of the Commission is to reduce the amount of gas in the system progressively. Yes one cooperative produces biogas or biomethane You will be able to access the network with better conditions.

The Commission will propose a more integrated pricing for gas. The intention is that the type of energy is consumed depending on its use. This requires coordinated operator planning for electricity, gas and hydrogen.

Protection measures will be imposed for natural gas consumers

And, finally, all the electricity consumer protection articles in 2018 will be transposed for natural gas with obligations such as having comparators of prices, the possibility of changing companies in 24 hours and also for hydrogen, although most of these consumers will be industrial.

The gas supply security regulation is modified to adapt it to renewable gases. They will be included articles on cyber attacks for the gas or electricity sector. Regulations on solidarity between member states in cases of supply emergency will also be strengthened by adjusting the consumption of large industrialists to supply vulnerable consumers from another state. The Commission is also launching a regulation to identify methane leaks in the electricity sector and a registry will also be created on the origin of fossil fuels to find out if there are methane mitigation regulations.

The Commission will adopt measures on the joint purchase of gas and storage levels thus giving response to Spain’s proposals. On the contrary, the Community Executive categorically rejects reforming the wholesale electricity market, considering that it is beneficial for renewables.