Title of the measure: FRA 16 Energy Saving Certificates (ESC

Last update: September 2015
Title of the measure:
FRA 16 Energy Saving Certificates (ESC)
General description
Energy Saving Certificates (ESC) or Certificats d’Economies d’Energie (CEE) in French, have been
introduced in France by the Energy Policy Law of 13 July 2005, with the aim of achieving energy savings
in various sectors such as buildings (mainly), light industry, agriculture and transport. This Energy
Saving Obligation scheme obliges energy retailers and fuel suppliers (called “obligated parties”) to
save energy by encouraging their customers (households, local authorities or companies) to reduce their
energy consumption. It also supports voluntary actions implementing energy saving projects from
“eligible parties”.
Energy saving targets are assessed in kWh cumac of final energy (“cumac” meaning “cumulative and
actualized”). It corresponds to the energy savings cumulated over the life-time of the implemented
operation and actualized at a rate of 4%.
Targets for each “obligated party” depend on the type of energy sold and its sales volume. They are
given for a three-year period (yearly adjustment taking into account market evolutions can be done). At
the end of each period (see below historical data part for description of the different periods), parties
which do not meet their individual obligation have to pay a penalty depending on the amount of kWh
cumac missing. Its cost is fixed by decree (€ 0.02/kWh cumac. in September 2015, same amount since the
beginning of the scheme).
ESC are given out by the National ESC Pole for operations that meets all the technical
requirements. They can be exchanged between “eligible parties” and “obligated parties” on a
dedicated market. All certificates are registered and exchanged on a common website. “Obligated and
eligible parties” willing to obtain certificates have to register on this website. The evolution of the kWh
cumac price can be also followed on the public part of this website.
To help participants carry out energy-saving actions, an official catalog of basic measures based on
Standardized Operations information sheets has been drawn up with stakeholders. These measures
apply mostly to energy consumptions in existing buildings, and to a lesser extent to energy consumptions
in industry, agriculture and transport. Each information sheet outlines average energy saving in kWh
cumac for each measure. The catalog is updated and completed by ministerial order. In addition, a web
calculator has been developed by ADEME to help stakeholders to assess the saved energy for
standardized operations.
ESC can also be obtained for additional actions that are not included in the Standardized Operations
catalog called “non-standard” or “special” operations. The National ESC Pole appraises each
“special” operation when requested. In this framework, it can rely on experts’ advices from ADEME.
To ensure that requests are properly drafted and to optimize the appraisal process, a methodological guide
has been published by ADEME to help project initiators and decision-makers to prepare their demand for
special operations.
Information, training and innovation programmes
The law n° 2010-788 adopted the 12 July 2010 introduces the possibility for “obligated parties” to invest
in eligible programs focusing on information, training and innovation to receive ESCs. For example, the
program FEE Bat (extended until 2017) aims at training persons working in the building sector to
implement energy saving measures; the program RAGE (Règle de l’Art Grenelle Environnement 2012)
has drawn up technical documents to advice working people from the building sector on renovation,
maintenance and construction practices.
ESCs to tackle fuel poverty
The law n° 2010-788 adopted the 12 July 2010 introduces the possibility for “obligated parties” to invest
in projects tackling fuel poverty. For example, the program Habiter mieux (“live better”) managed by the
Last update: September 2015
national agency for housing, ANAH (Agence Nationale de l’Habitat) supports low income households in
their thermal renovation plans to save energy from heating and/or live in better conditions. Between 2010
and 2017, 185 000 accommodations should benefit from this program. As other example, the program
Toits d’abord supported by the Fondation Abbé Pierre (FAP) aims at providing rental offers at very low
price for poor households by building and renovating 600-700 accommodations per year.
More recently, the law n°2015-992 adopted the 17 August 2015 introduced a new obligation on energy
suppliers for 2016 and 2017, based on the exact same principles as the existing one, but targeting
exclusively fuel poor households. To comply with this additional obligation, obligated parties must
implement energy saving actions regarding housing or transport of low-income households, buy ESC
targeted to people in fuel poverty situation or support energy saving programs specific to poor households
(decree specifying application modalities is ongoing).
Impact evaluation:
From 2006 to 2012, 3.3 million of operations would have benefited from the ESCs scheme1.
According to a survey led by ADEME in 2013, for more than 75% of the interviewed households, the
ESC allowance had an effect on households’ choice and allowed them to rapidly launch building
works, choose more efficient materials and equipment or go for professional works instead of
implementing works themselves.
The last figures regarding the sole second period have shown that the residential sector was the main
beneficiary (almost 60% of the overall ESCs given) but that more and more measures have been
implemented in the tertiary and the industry sectors.
Residential buildings
Services sector buildings
Industries
Grid
Transport
Agriculture
Figure 1:
Energy Saving Certificates distribution per sector and per year (second period)
(source: ADEME according to the register from the national ESC pole)
1
According to the report on ESC from Cour des Comptes, 2013
http://www.ccomptes.fr/Actualites/A-la-une/Les-certificats-d-economies-d-energie)
(available
at
Last update: September 2015
1st period
Target: 54 TWhc (18/y)
65.2 TWh saved
(+11.2 TWh)
nd
Transition
No target
99.2 TWh
saved
2 period
Target: 460 TWhc
rd
3 period
Target:
700 TWh
€3.2M of penalties
paid by 218
obligated parties
Figure 2:
Summary of the Energy Saving Certificate schemes objectives (red line) and results (blue line)
Effective and potential energy saving analysis
The energy saved and potentially saved thanks to this scheme has been assessed by the Ministry for
Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy (MEDDE) in November 2013 from a bottom-up
approach.
Yearly energy saved thanks to all ESC
emitted on November2013 in Mtoe
(ex-post evaluation)
Yearly energy saved thanks to all ESC
emitted on November2013 and by
assuming the extension of this scheme
until 2020 in Mtoe (ex-post evaluation)
2013
2016
2020
2.5
2.4
2.4
2.5
5.2
9.3
Table 1:
Effective and potential energy saved per year thanks to Energy Certificates schemes2
(Source: NEEAP 2014 from MEDDE3 data)
According to CEREN4, the final energy consumption of the tertiary sector was around 225 TWh in 2013.
By assuming that 12% of the total energy saved thanks to the ESC scheme in 2013 (i.e. 2.5 Mtoe) came
from the tertiary sector, this measure can be assumed to have a high impact.
Measure Impact Level
 low
 medium
Definition of impact:
Low: energy savings < 0.1% of the overall tertiary sector energy consumption
Medium: between 0.1 and 0.5%
High: > 0.5%
2
Information, innovation and training programmes have not been included
Ministry for Ecology, Energy and Sustainable Development
4
Centre d'études et de recherches économiques sur l'énergie
3
 high
Last update: September 2015
Interaction of measures
HH-FRA 5 VAT reduction on energy efficiency investments
HH-FRA7 Energy Transition Tax Credit (ex-Sustainable Development Tax Credit)
HH-FRA16 Local energy information centres (EIE)
HH-FRA31 Zero-rated eco-loan
Historical data
1st period: 1 July 2006 - 30 June 2009
Target: The energy saving obligation for the first three years was 54 TWh cumac.
“Obligated parties” were:
- suppliers of electricity, natural gas, LPG and heating or cooling with annual sales exceeding
0.4 TWh;
- And domesctic fuel suppliers from the first liter sold.
Each domestic fuel suppliers was entrusted with an individual obligation but could transfer this obligation
to a professional consortium structure, then in charge of implementing the entire obligation of its
members.
“Eligible parties” were local authorities and companies for all end-use targeted (transport included).
With 65.2 TWh cumac of cumulative savings certified in the first period (2006-2009), the initial objective
of 54 TWh cumac of energy savings certificates was largely exceeded.
Transition period
Before the publication of the law ENE (Engagement National pour l’Environnement), a transition period
was set up from 1 July 2009 to 31 December 2010. During this period, “obligated parties” were not
required to achieve energy efficiency targets, but they could continue to pursue energy efficiency projects
and obtain ESC allowances for them under the same rules as during the first period. As the ESCs are valid
for three periods, all the certificates issued during this transition period can be accounted for the second
period. At the end of 2010, 164.3 TWh cumac had been issued (159.6 cumac for standard operations and
4.7 TWh cumac for special operations).
2nd period: 1 January 2011 - 31 December 2014
The ENE law (Engagement National pour l’Environnement) of July 2010 has renewed the ESC
mechanism for a second three-year period, from 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2013.
This law has extended the energy-saving obligations to entity selling a certain amount of automobile
fuels (>7 000 m3) or domestic fuel5 (>500 m3).
The energy savings obligation for the second period was increased to 345 TWh cumac, i.e. 6.4 times
more than during the first period (255 TWh cumac for sellers of electricity, gas, domestic fuel oil, LPG
and networked heat or cooling energy, and 90 TWh cumac for those offering automobile fuels).
During this period, “eligible parties” to request certificates were only public authorities, the National
Housing Improvement Agency (ANAH) and social landlords.
In 2013, the 2nd period was extended for another year in order to prepare the 3 rd period of the
scheme. “Obligated parties” were given an additional 115 TWh cumac obligation to reach by the
end of December 2014.
5
The domestic fuels retailers have been yet obliged during the first period but whatever the quantity of
fuel sold
Last update: September 2015
3rd period: 1 January 2015 - 31 December 2017
The energy saving obligation for the 3rd period is 700 TWh cumac (almost 2 times more than the
second period). Main changes are:






The review of Standardized Operations information sheets in order to estimate energy savings
compared to “market” references instead of “stock” references for all measures except those on
the building envelope and those modifying an existing equipment (ie: temperature control), and
to comply with European directives (mainly EED and Eco-design);
The used of the same calculation methods for the assessment of obligations targets for all
“obligated parties”;
The raise of the minimal threshold to fill a claim on standardized operations from 20GWh cumac to
50 GWhcumac ;
The setting up of a declarative reporting with an a posteriori control in order to reduce delays in
administrative processing;
The obligation to led energy efficiency actions for residential houses by professionals certified
« RGE» (Reconnu Garant de l’Environnement) from1st July 2015 in mainland France (from 31st
December 2015 for the French overseas departments: Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana,
Réunion and Mayotte);
The support of efficient transport through programs dedicated to the transport sector.
4th period: 1 January 2018 - 31 December 2020
The law n°2015-992 adopted the 17 August 2015 has announced the fourth period from the beginning of
2018 until the end of December 2020. Application modalities and characteristics will be detailed later.
References

Political acts related to the different periods
1st period :
- Loi n°2005-781 du 13 juillet 2005 de programme fixant les orientations de la politique énergétique
- Décret 2006-600 du 23 mai 2006 (« décret obligations »)
- Décret 2006-603 du 23 mai 2006 (« décret certificat »)
- Décret 2006-604 du 23 mai 2006 (« décret registre »)
- Arrêté du 30 mai 2006 relatif aux modalités d’application du dispositif de CEE
- Arrêté du 19 juin 2006 fixant la liste des pièces d’un dossier de demande de CEE
- Arrêté du 19 juin 2006 définissant des opérations standardisées d’économies d’énergie
- Arrêté du 26 septembre 2006 fixant la répartition de l’objectif national d’économies d’énergie
- Arrêté du 19 décembre 2006 définissant des opérations standardisées d’économies d’énergie
- Arrêté du 20 février 2007 relatif au registre des certificats d’économies d’énergie
- Arrêté du 22 novembre 2007 définissant des opérations standardisées d’économies d’énergie
2nd period:
-Articles L.221-1 à L.222-9 du Code de l’énergie: définition du dispositif des certificats d’économies
d’énergie
- Article 35 de la loi n° 2006-1771 du 30 décembre 2006 de finances rectificative pour 2006
- Décret n° 2010-1663 du 29 décembre 2010 modifié relatif aux obligations d’économies d’énergie dans
le cadre du dispositif des certificats d’économies d’énergie
- Décret n° 2010-1664 du 29 décembre 2010 modifié relatif aux certificats d’économies d’énergie
- Décret n° 2006-604 du 23 mai 2006 modifié relatif à la tenue du registre national des certificats
d’économie d’énergie
- Circulaire du 29 juin 2011 relative à la deuxième période du dispositif des certificats d’économies
d’énergie
Last update: September 2015
- Arrêté du 29 décembre 2010 fixant la liste des éléments d’une demande de certificats d’économies
d’énergie et la composition d’une demande d’agrément d’un plan d’actions d’économies d’énergie
- Arrêté du 19 juin 2006 fixant la liste des pièces d’un dossier de demande de certificats d’économies
d’énergie
- Arrêté du 29 décembre 2010 modifié relatif aux modalités d’application du dispositif des certificats
d’économies d’énergie
- Arrêté du 19 décembre 2013 fixant le montant des frais de tenue de compte du registre national des
certificats d’économies d’énergie
3rd period :
- Arrêté du 4 septembre 2014 fixant la liste des éléments d'une demande de certificats d'économies
d'énergie et les documents à archiver par le demandeur
- Arrêté du 11 décembre 2014 portant validation de programmes de réduction de la consommation
énergétique des ménages les plus défavorisés dans le cadre du dispositif des certificats d'économies
d'énergie
- Décret du 22 décembre 2014 définissant les opérations standardisées d'économies d'énergie
- Décret n° 2014-1668 du 29 décembre 2014 relatif aux obligations de la troisième période du dispositif
des certificats d'économies d'énergie
- Article 30 de la loi n°2015-992 du 17 août 2015 relative à la transition énergétique pour la croissance
verte
- Arrêté du 30 septembre 2015 modifiant l’arrêté du 22 décembre 2014 définissant les opérations
standardisées d’économies d’énergie
4th period :
-Article 30 de la loi n°2015-992 du 17 août 2015 relative à la transition énergétique pour la croissance
verte

For further information
- Report on ESC
from Cour des Comptes (Court of Auditors), 2013
http://www.ccomptes.fr/Actualites/A-la-une/Les-certificats-d-economies-d-energie (in French)
–
- White paper on ESC from the Ministry for Sustainable Development, 2013 http://www.developpementdurable.gouv.fr/IMG/pdf/131213_livre_blanc.pdf (in French)
- ESC section of the Ministry for Sustainable Development website
http://www.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/-Certificats-d-economies-d-energie,188-.html (in French)