On the 15th May, the Research Center for Energy Economics (FfE) published a study on the Primary Energy Factor (PEF) for electricity and the corresponding CO2 Equivalent Emission Factor (CEEF) applicable to technologies coupling heat and electricity sectors. According to the study, commissioned by COGEN Europe, the additional electricity demand from sectors subject to electrification will rely less on renewable electricity and more on fossil fuel generation, compared to the average electricity mix.
In particular, the study found that the “displacement mix” EU PEF is 2.81, with a CO2 intensity of 986 g CO2/kWh, which significantly differs from the 2.0 average PEF value proposed by the European Commission.
Based on the study, European renewable and efficient heat industry associations (AEBIOM, COGEN Europe, EFIEES, EGEC and Euroheat & Power) call for a dedicated EU PEF approach for calculating the real efficiency of heating systems, which use or produce electricity, in order to inform energy consumers correctly and help deliver the EU energy and climate objectives.