Building on the foundations laid during the first phase of the Consultation Forum, the second phase will be further expanded to cover the following interrelated subjects though three main working groups (including sub-working groups): WG 1: Energy Management including Energy Efficiency (Sub-WG1 Energy Management and Sub-WG2 Energy Efficiency); WG 2: Renewable Energy Sources and Technologies; WG 3: Protection of Critical Energy Infrastructure and one cross-cutting theme; Finance.
The following diagram displays the structure of the CF SEDSS II (WGs & Sub-WGs).
Objectives
Working Group 1 - Energy Management including Energy Efficiency
- Investigate Energy management in defence context within the EU framework and provide guidance to the participating Member States’ MoDs, in order to assist the defence sector to establish the policies, strategies, processes and tools to improve energy management and performance, including energy efficiency, use and consumption;
- The mechanism to achieve the aforementioned task is through developing sub-themes based on experience, outcomes, and shortfalls identification from CF SEDSS Phase I and which will address the annotated articles from the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) and applicable articles from the Energy Performance in Buildings Directive (EPBD) in relation to broader energy management challenge and opportunities;
- Describe and generate defence energy-related projects /best practices; including dual-use synergies within the defence and civilian markets (5 information sheets).
Sub –WG 1 Energy Management
- Deal with the Energy from a policy, strategy, management and finance perspective;
- Produce guidelines for improving the overall management of energy.
Sub-WG 2 Energy Efficiency
- Deal with the technology side of energy efficiency concentrating primarily on energy in buildings and fixed infrastructure;
- Produce guidelines for improving the energy efficiency of military building stock and fixed infrastructure.
Working Group 2 - Renewable Energy Sources and Technologies
- Examine the utility of RES to the Defence and Security sector and to test the applicability of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED) to maximise national benefits;
- Deal with the financial, delivery and technical aspects of deploying renewable energy in the defence context;
- Address the use of renewable energy sources and technologies including production of renewable energy (wind, solar, wave, tidal, biomass, geothermal), use of defence land for generation of renewable energy, energy conversion, and energy storage;
- Develop sub-emes based on the outcomes and priorities established through CF SEDSS phase I, building on progress made, as well as seeking to meet shortfalls exposed through gap and risk analyses;
- Address among other areas, the annotated articles from the Renewable Energy Directive and applicable articles from the Energy Efficiency Directive.
- Describe and generate defence energy-related projects /best practices; including dual-use synergies within the defence and civilian markets (5 information sheets).
Working Group 3 - Protection of Critical Energy Infrastructure
- Build on the expertise and momentum developed through the PCEI Experts Group in the first phase of the CF SEDSS; this working group will take into consideration the priorities and recommendations identified in the PCEI Conceptual Paper and will explore the benefits/ implications of their implementation within the defence sector;
- Raise awareness and increase knowledge of the significance of the PCEI in the EU Defence and Security sector and to contribute to the enhancement of CEI protection and resilience.
- Identify common challenges, including shortfalls, vulnerabilities, risks and opportunities, related to PCEI in the defence sector;
- Provide a framework for increasing resilience and to identify how PCEI contributes to securing energy strategic autonomy for the European defence and security Sector;
- explore the applicability of the annotated articles from the European Protection of Critical Infrastructures Directive.
- Address the annotated articles from the European Protection of Critical Infrastructures Directive.
- Develop an EU or National Defence Policies/Strategies/Plans which address energy considerations in protection of defence related CEI; development of the PCEI Conceptual Paper into guidelines /strategy at the EU level;
- Facilitate the generation of concrete defence energy-related infrastructure projects;
- Describe and generate defence energy-related projects /best practices; including dual-use synergies within the defence and civilian markets (5 information sheets).
Cross-Cutting Theme - Innovative Funding Instruments
In the first phase of the Consultation Forum, funding within MODs was acknowledged as one of the key enabling mechanisms to deliver improved performance on energy. Despite the fact that different funding mechanisms at the EU level were identified a closer examination and assessment is required given the complexities for funding the defence sector as well as due to the changing funding dynamics. In the second phase, the effort will focus on clarifying and supporting on what can be realistically achieved with National (i.e. public or private funds) and EU funding instruments in the defence sector. Given that the project will explore the potential for establishing concrete defence energy-related project development a particular emphasis will be given on identifying the possible source of funding by the EU’s or other related and applicable funding instruments.