Energy Consumption of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) is rapidly increasing including the stand-by power consumed by end-use devices when they are switched off or not performing their main function. Stand-by power consumption is an increasing fraction of the European Union’s electricity use and the fast penetration of new and digital technology is likely to increase this share. It is estimated that stand-by power already accounts for about 10% of the electricity use in homes and offices of the EU Member States.

Since 2010 the Covenant of Mayors (CoM) initiative has come to involve 11 Eastern Partnership and Central Asian countries in the implementation of local sustainable energy policies (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan).

With the increasing importance of establishing long-term synergies between end-use energy efficiency and energy market opening a number of EU Member States have embarked  on implementing energy efficiency policy portfolios that consist of energy saving obligations imposed on some category of energy market operators eventually coupled with a trading system for energy efficiency measures resulting in certified energy savings (tradable white certificates, TWCs).

The Uninterruptible Power Systems (UPS) are widespread in the European Industry and service centres. Expectations are that UPS will increase in European Community in the near future. The energy supply with UPS generates energy losses that are higher than the supply of the consumer direct from the low voltage network. With the general principles and actions resulting from the implementation of this Code of Conduct the additional electricity energy losses caused by UPS will be limited.

Expectations are that equipment for the reception, decoding and interactive processing of digital broadcasting and related services will contribute substantially to the electricity consumption of households in European Community in the near future. Depending on the penetration level, the specifications of the equipment and the requirements of the service provider, a total European consumption of up to 23 TWh per year can be estimated.

This working at creating a collaboration among DG GROW, DG JRC, CEN/CENELEC and all manufacturers involved in the definition of an harmonised standard to be used in the framework of Ecodesign and Energy labeling regulation for professional refrigeration.