The package is an important step towards implementing the Energy Union strategy with a forward looking climate change policy, launched as one of the political priorities of the Juncker Commission in February 2015. Today's proposals give prominence to the "energy efficiency first" principle and put households and business consumers at the heart of the European energy market.

EU Commission Vice-President for Energy Union Maroš Šefčovič said: "In the Energy Union strategy, we committed to empowering European consumers, creating a single well-functioning energy market, putting energy efficiency first and becoming the number one in renewables. Today, five months after the adoption of the Energy Union strategy, this Summer Package shows our determination to decarbonise our economy and to give consumers a central role in Europe's energy transition. It marks not only a new deal for consumers, but a new deal for Europe´s entire energy system."

EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete said: “Actions speak louder than words. Today we take a decisive step towards enshrining the EU's target of at least 40% emissions cut by 2030 into law. My message to our global partners ahead of the Paris climate conference: the EU stands by its international commitments.  And my message to investors, businesses and industry: invest in clean energy; it's here to stay and continue to grow. With these proposals, Europe is once again showing the way and leading the global transition to a low-carbon society."

By Stephanie Kanowitz, Dec 03, 2014 - GCN

Although the number of open, public data sets available is growing, IT managers find it difficult to combine or compare data in ways that would illuminate some of the chronic problems now facing local governments. But now cities have a one-stop shop for aggregating information in multiple data sets and applying time and location parameters that can deliver actionable analytics.  

That’s the objective of Plenario, a tool launched in alpha form in September that aims to become the platform and framework for building smart city applications. Plenario lets users to study regions over specified time periods using all relevant data, regardless of original source, and represent the data as a single time series. By providing a hub for open data, the company said, Plenario lets city managers ask the right questions with as few constraints as possible.

Covenant signatories who have already submitted a SEAP as of mid-May 2014, have estimated for 2020 an overall reduction of 28% of the overall GHG emissions.

According to Article 22 of Directive 2009/28/EC Member States had to submit by the end of 31^st December 2013 to the European Commission the second Progress Reports on  renewable energy development in European Union during period 2011 - 2012. The preliminary data on overall RES share in Gross Final Energy Consumption in those Member States who's second Progress Reports on renewable energy development can be found at European Commission Transparency Platform (http://ec.europa.eu/energy/renewables/reports/2013_en.htm) and the deviations from NREAPs planned shares are reported:

Based on up to now submitted Progress Reports the following exceedances from 2020 plans/targets for RES total, RES - H/C, RES - E and RES - T shares took place in year 2012: