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

The committee adopted the report by Norbert GLANTE (PES, D) amending the Council's common position under the 2nd reading of the codecision procedure. MEPs decided to retable many of Parliament's 1st reading amendments rejected by the Council. These focused on the need for harmonised definitions of CHP, support for small generation plants, and binding targets and timetables to increase use of CHP: - there should be a harmonised definition of cogeneration throughout Europe, which is essential for single market purposes; - there is also a need to define micro-cogeneration (small plants with output of less than 50 kWe), which should receive special support. The committee called for easier access, less red tape and lower costs, to enable small-scale and micro-cogeneration units to join up with their local grids; - binding targets should be laid down for the Community and the Member States. MEPs pointed out once again that without any targets no sustainable increase in cogeneration in Europe could be expected. Cogeneration should be increased to 18% of total output by 2012 and the Member States should notify the Commission of their national targets for 2015 and 2020; - alternative calculation methods should be used only until the Commission presents a uniform calculation method, with guidelines, and harmonised reference values for calculating the primary energy savings enabling cogeneration to be categorised. The deadline for establishing a harmonised method for calculating electricity from cogeneration should be no later than two years after the Directive comes into force; - regular checks on progress, without lengthy intervals between them, are needed if the targets are actually to be implemented. �