Policy Documents

Phasing out new fossil-fuel based boilers is vital to achieving the EU’s climate commitments

Joint open letter to European Commission's VP Timmermans

Dear Executive Vice-President Frans Timmermans,  There is increased attention to the role that buildings must play in the climate transition. The EU’s 2030  climate target […]

EU Renewable Energy Policy

Myth buster on gases and renewable heating technologies

Natural gas accounts for about 45% of European households heating. It is the most widely used energy but is perceived as less environmentally damaging than […]

EU Renewable Energy Policy

Policy paper for fossil-free districts and cities

Why and how fossil fuels in buildings will be history by 2050

By 2050, fossil fuels in cities will hopefully be history. Renewable technologies that are already available, such as heat pumps and heat networks, will make […]

EU Climate Action

Cities Manifesto for Fossil-Free Heating and Cooling

New European initiative calls for cities to be in the driving seat of the heat transition

Energy Cities, Celsius Cities, #DHCities, FEDARENE and 25+ cities across Europe joined forces to urge the EU and Member States to properly support and empower […]

EU Climate Action

Hydrogen: everything a city needs to know

Energy Cities' position on the role of hydrogen in cities

Hydrogen has long been identified as an alternative to fossil fuels. First in the 70s, especially in Japan, and then again in the 2000s. But […]

Energy Cities joins broad coalition calling on EU not to rely on hydrogen to decarbonise buildings

33 businesses, industry associations, NGOs, and think tanks joined forces to urge the European Commission to prioritise available efficient and sustainable solutions to decarbonise Europe’s […]

EU Electricity Market Rules

Public consultation on future EU strategy for smart sector integration

How the EU's flagship initiative for the future energy market should provide a springboard for empowering local heating & cooling

The EU strategy for smart sector integration is an upcoming EU Commission proposal under the Green Deal, which aims to strengthen links across the different sectors in Europe’s energy system. Energy Cities shares its views in the public consultation on how this strategy should harness the full local energy potential, in particular in the field of heating & cooling.

EU Lending Policy

Public consultation on the European Investment Bank Energy Lending Policy

What the EU's lending arm should prioritize in its funding policy

In view of the public consultation on the future energy lending policy of the European Investment Bank (EIB), Energy Cities shares its recommendations to ensure that the EIB divests from fossil fuels and invests instead in the Paris-proof energy transition.

EU Energy Union Governance

Local State of the Energy Union

Beyond cables and pipelines : A brighter state of the Energy Union

The Energy Union must be an opportunity to accelerate the energy transition and define the roles, rights and responsibilities of the new actors who are its main protagonists. Energy Cities makes recommendations to European decision-makers to support this local momentum through the five pillars of the Energy Union: # 1 decarbonisation, # 2 energy security, # 3 internal market, # 4 energy efficiency and # 5 research and development innovation.

EU Electricity Market Rules

Joint Position Paper on EU Heating and Cooling Strategy

New strategy should be fully integrated in EU energy and climate policies

Energy Cities joins forces with industry associations representing the geothermal, solar thermal, heat pump, biomass, biogas, and district heating and cooling sectors to require structural reforms in EU climate and energy legislation, taking full account of the EU Heating and Cooling Strategy