COUNCIL RECOMMENDATION of 25 October 1977 on the creation in the Member States of advisory bodies or committees to promote combined heat and power production and the exploitation of residual heat (77/714/EEC)

THE COUNCIL OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Economic Community,

Having regard to the draft from the Commission,

Whereas in its resolution of 17 September 1974 concerning a new energy-policy strategy for the Community (1) the Council approved the objective of reduction of the rate of growth of internal consumption by measures for using energy rationally and economically without jeopardizing social and economic growth objectives;

Whereas improvements in the rational use of energy are generally beneficial to the environment;

Whereas in its resolution of 17 December 1974 on a Community action programme on the rational utilization of energy (2) the Council noted that, in its communication to the Council entitled "Rational Utilization of Energy", the Commission had drawn up a Community action programme in this field;

Whereas a more rational use of energy can be obtained by greater use of combined heat and power production and the exploitation of residual heat in industry, electricity generating and remote heat supply systems;

Whereas implementation of this technique requires the solution of a number of complex problems of an economic, technical, administrative and legislative nature;

Whereas the solution of these problems depends to a large extent on local, regional and national factors;

Whereas the search for solutions at local and regional level is facilitated by an exchange of information and cooperation at national and Community level,

HEREBY RECOMMENDS TO THE MEMBER STATES:

1. that they create one or more advisory bodies or committees, in so far as these do not already exist, to be responsible for giving an opinion on all measures likely to lead to increased efficiency in the supply of heat for industry and to promote the use of remote heat supply systems, in particular by: - concentrating heat production and making greater use of combined heat and power production;

- greater thermal efficiency of power stations by exploitation of their residual heat;

- improved efficiency of heat conduits and associated distribution installations in industrial establishments and in district heating systems, while taking into account the service life of the conduits;

2. that to this end they invite the advisory bodies or Committees to consider the following measures: - broadening of cooperation between electrical utilities and heat-consuming industries;

- identification and abolition of legal, administrative and price obstacles to the development of combined heat and power production to supply industry;

- reservation of sites on which industrial complexes and combined heat and power stations can be built side by side;

- encouragement, in accordance with Article 92 et seq. of the Treaty, of combined heat and power production and of the transport of heat; (1)OJ No C 153, 9.7.1975, p. 1. (2)OJ No C 153, 9.7.1975, p. 5.

- provision of better information to small- and medium-sized industrial undertakings;

- drawing up statements of heat requirements;

3. that they encourage the advisory bodies or Committees to have regular exchanges of experience and to cooperate at Community level through procedures organized by the Commission;

4. that they instigate and promote technical and economic studies with the aim of identifying new economically viable remote heat supplies and that they promote the development, where justifiable, of existing district heating and industrial heat supply systems;

5. that they inform the Commission regularly of the measures taken in the field covered by this recommendation and of the results obtained or anticipated from the measures.

Done at Luxembourg, 25 October 1977.

For the Council

The President

W. CLAES