On behalf of the European Alliance to Save Energy (EU‐ASE), we are writing to express our full support for the creation of the Energy Union and to encourage you to place energy efficiency firmly at the forefront of its development and operation.
In the same way that it would be smart to fix any leaks in a race car fuel system before upgrading the size of its fuel pump, so it is necessary to address existing inefficiencies in European energy use before attempting to upgrade its distribution infrastructure and tackle other measures to strengthen and modernise its energy system. Doing so will help to ensure that the benefits of the other measures are maximised and that funds spent in their support are leveraged to yield strong returns.
Simply put, a top‐priority focus on energy efficiency will set the stage for the success of the Energy Union, and to neglect its importance is to risk dooming the project from the outset.
So preeminent is “Energy Efficiency First” among the pillars of the Energy Union.