Residential Monitoring to Decrease Energy Use and Carbon Emissions in Europe (REMODECE)

About REMODECE

The REMODECE project is a European data collection and policy support activity in the EU27 area. The project improves our understanding of the structure and trends of domestic electricity demand, factors underlying it, and its implications for policy making in the European Union region. To this end, electricity end-use measurements were carried out in 100 households per country and 500 households were surveyed with a common questionnaire. The data was collected into an international, public database, which is available at the international project website.

The project was led by the University of Coimbra in Portugal, and there are 16 partners from 13 countries. Hungary is represented by the Central European University.

Objectives

The objectives of the “Residential Monitoring to Decrease Energy Use and Carbon Emissions in Europe” project were:

• to contribute to an increased understanding of the energy consumption patterns in the EU 25+2 households for the different types of equipment, including consumers’ behaviour and comfort levels,
• to identify demand trends,
• to evaluate the potential electricity savings that exist in the residential sector in Europe, and that can already be implemented by existing means, like the use of top efficient (BAT) appliances or the mitigation of standby consumption.

The availability of detailed, quality data is an essential condition for the evidence-based policy recommendations to influence the energy efficiency of the equipment to be sold in the EU27 in the next decade through a combination of measures, as well as to influence user behaviour in the selection and operation of that equipment.

Different approaches for market transformation of different types of equipment are analysed in consultation with the most relevant market stakeholders, leading to a set of specific policy recommendations for each type of equipment.

CEU has completed the following tasks within the project:

Measurement and Surveying Campaigns

For the survey in the residential sector, detailed measurements were conducted in 100 houses. In this survey, both the electricity consumption in conventional appliances and new electronic loads were monitored.

Survey questionnaires were collected from the 100 houses that participated in the monitoring. The other 400 households are asked by a professional market survey company. A report is produced with the results of the surveys, as well as the survey provides inputs for the analysis of the measurement data.

Common analysis

For the measurement campaigns on the household level, the analysis methodology and household level analysis report have been fully developed. Also on the national level, the methodology has been developed. Analysis is integrating the project-level methods and the local analysis methodology for local issues.

Strategies for market transformation and recommendations to policymakers

Existing relevant national and European level policies were reviewed. The final report for recommendations is organized on the following levels:

• Institutional level: The new building directive, energy labeling, mandatory minimum efficiency standards and the proposal for a directive on Energy End-Use Efficiency and Energy Services will be analyzed;
• Supportive Schemes level: Technology procurement, voluntary agreements, plans for information campaigns for the public, training schemes for retail staff, Demand Side Management are examined;
• Fiscal level: different economic analysis instruments like subsidies or tax incentives are discussed at this level.

Software tool

A software tool to enable users to carry out cross comparison of the energy performance of appliances in different countries was developed and is available on the international project website.

A workshop was held on April 21, 2008.