Each EU member state to prepare national integrated energy plan: official

Each European Union member state will prepare its national integrated energy plan heading towards the joint European energy policy, European Commission (EC) Vice-president for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic said Thursday.

Sefcovic made the remarks at the "SET Plan - Central European Energy Conference (CEEC)" held in Bratislava.

"We expect the proposed measures to annually mobilise 177 billion euro (188 billion U.S. dollar) worth of investments, create 900,000 new jobs, chiefly in the energy efficiency sector, and allow for an annual GDP growth of as much as 1 percent," said Sefcovic.

Sefcovic said that through these proposals, the EC is implementing strategic goals in the field of energy and climate change agreed upon by EU leaders in 2014, as well as commitments stemming from the Paris Agreement.

According to Sefcovic, the EC's proposals are to reform the current model of electric energy production and consumption, impose measures to reduce energy consumption, and better integrate energy generated from renewable energy resources, such as solar and wind energy.

Sefcovic said over 75 percent of old buildings in Europe are energy-inefficient, with 40 percent of energies used on heating and cooling.

If a 30-percent limit for energy efficiency is to be ensured by 2030, there would be a great opportunity for local construction developers, mostly small and medium-sized entrepreneurs, to get involved in reconstruction works.

"We set a goal for the entire EU to achieve at least 27 percent of energy generated from the renewable energy resources by 2030. At the moment I must say that Slovakia with its 10 percent in 2013 is on a good path to contribute to this commitment," stated Sefcovic. Enditem