Promotion of cogeneration based on a useful heat demand in the internal energy market

The Commission accepts all 20 amendments proposed by the European Parliament, which are in line with the objectives of the Commission's original proposal or constitute an acceptable compromise. The amendments concern the following issues: - emphasising that development of cogeneration contributes to enhancing competition on the internal electricity market; - clarifying that import dependency and raising import ratios heighten the risk of interruption or difficulties in supply; - making reference to the European Parliament's resolution of 25 September 2002 on the Commission communication on the implementation of the first phase of the European Climate Change Programme; - ensuring a harmonisation of calculation methods for calculation of electricity from cogeneration. The amendment also makes a reference to the necessity of being able to adapt the calculation methods to technical progress. Finally the amendment outlines that for micro cogeneration units the calculations can be based on values provided by a certification process; - providing a clearer understanding of the term "cogeneration unit"; - emphasising that especially for micro cogeneration units access to the electricity grid may be facilitated; - an editorial change to make the proposal consistent in order to reflect the compromises regarding micro cogeneration units; - clarifying that high efficiency cogeneration shall mean cogeneration meeting the criteria of the whole Annex III; - changing the definition of the "power to heat ratio". The amendment is in line with another amendment where the Commission is obliged to establish guidelines for the implementation of Annex II (calculation of electricity from cogeneration) via committee procedure. The amendment leaves the necessary flexibility to develop the guidelines; - defining micro cogeneration units as units with a maximum capacity below 50kWe; - emphasising that the analysis of the national potential for the application of high efficiency cogeneration should include high efficiency micro cogeneration; - emphasising that Member States also may particularly facilitate grid access for micro cogeneration units. In the Common Position this possibility was only applied to small scale cogeneration; - emphasising that the Commission - in the report to be submitted to the European Parliament and Council 4 years after entry into force of the Directive - shall consider to what extent the national potentials have been or are foreseen to be realised. If appropriate the Commission shall submit further proposals aiming at the establishment of an action plan for the development of high efficiency cogeneration. Similarly, the Commission shall consider the impact of the coexistence of the alternative calculation methods and if appropriate the Commission shall submit further proposals aiming at further harmonisation of the calculation methods; - empowering the Committee established in accordance with Article 14 of the Common Position also to review the guidelines for determining the power to heat ratio and adapt these guidelines to technical progress; - introducing the possibility for micro cogeneration units tocarry out the calculations using values from a certification process. This will allow calculation of electricity from micro cogeneration units without imposing costly measurement on each individual installation; - clarifying that the default values of the power to heat ratio should only be used for statistical purposes; - obliging the Commission to establish guidelines for the implementation of Annex II (calculation of electricity from cogeneration) via committee procedure; - defining that micro cogeneration units providing primary energy savings may qualify as high-efficiency cogeneration. - introducing the possibility for micro cogeneration units to carry out the calculations using values from a certification process. This will allow micro cogeneration units to qualify as high efficiency cogeneration without imposing costly measurement on each individual installation.�