Brussels, September 2026 – As Europe prepares to invest hundreds of billions of euros annually in its future energy system, two European consortia with 13 partners covering 9 countries are demonstrating how decision-makers can better assess the impacts of energy efficiency investments and systematically compare demand-side solutions with investments in energy-supply infrastructure, to choose the options the most beneficial to society. On 1 October 2026 in Brussels and online, the EU-funded LIFE projects SEED MICAT and ENEFIRST Plus will illustrate the importance for assessments to consider broader perspectives to inform policy design and investment decisions, and for stakeholders of various fields to work together. Too narrow decision-making processes may indeed result in stranded assets or higher societal costs. While the post-2030 energy and climate framework is under discussion, and that EU laws have been criticized to be too complex, the two projects show how key provisions of the EU Energy Efficiency Directive can be implemented in practice and their added value to provide a fair and robust basis for national energy planning and policies, and the resulting massive investments in the energy transition.
Entitled “Energy Efficiency First: Seeding Change and Maximising Multiple Impacts,” the event will gather policymakers, practitioners, researchers and energy experts to examine how Europe can make investment choices that deliver greater benefits for society while supporting its climate-neutrality objective.
Assessing the full value of energy efficiency
Decisions about Europe’s future energy system cannot be based on energy costs or upfront costs alone. Energy policies and investments can also affect public health, competitiveness, economic activity, employment, energy security, air quality and social well-being. These wider economic, environmental and social effects, known as the multiple impacts of energy efficiency, can significantly influence the outcome of an assessment and the investment option ultimately selected. However, such impacts are not yet systematically considered in energy planning and policy design. Stakeholders may also be reluctant to assess effects beyond their usual areas of expertise, particularly when methodologies appear complex or suitable evidence is difficult to access. SEED MICAT has worked to overcome these barriers by developing and extending the MICATool, an open-access online platform that enables users to quantify the multiple impacts of energy-efficiency measures at European, national, regional and local levels. The project has also explored how multiple-impact assessments can be embedded in actual policy processes. At the event, the SEED MICAT consortium will demonstrate the MICATool through EU-level application and present lessons on moving from technical assessment to policy analysis, monitoring and reporting.
Turning Energy Efficiency First into practice
The Energy Efficiency First principle is enshrined in EU legislation through the revised Energy Efficiency Directive and the Governance Regulation for the Energy Union and Climate Action. It requires Member States and other relevant stakeholders to consider energy efficiency and other demand-side resources when making decisions on energy planning, policy and infrastructure investment. The principle is intended to place demand- and supply-side solutions on a level playing field and help decision-makers identify the options that provide the greatest value to society. A fair comparison requires a sufficiently broad assessment, including consideration of multiple impacts rather than focusing exclusively on direct financial and energy costs. Despite this strong legislative basis, applying Energy Efficiency First consistently in planning, investment and policy decisions remains challenging. ENEFIRST Plus has shown how Energy Efficiency First can be implemented in practice, through eight real-life pilot cases, and the development of practical guidelines designed to help public authorities and stakeholders plug the principle in their existing decision-making processes. The pilot cases done in Croatia, Greece, Italy and Poland have covered processes such as national energy planning and local action plans, grid investments, heating and cooling plans, transport or building renovation programmes. Representatives of the four pilot countries will present their experience in Brussels, highlighting the practical benefits,
how Energy Efficiency First can make a difference, and transferable lessons emerging from the pilot activities.
A shared agenda for Europe’s post-2030 framework
By bringing together the complementary work of SEED MICAT and ENEFIRST Plus, the event will demonstrate how accessible multiple-impact assessments can strengthen the practical implementation of Energy Efficiency First. The event will conclude with a high-level panel discussion entitled “What compass to navigate the transition journey to 2040?” The panel will consider the role of assessments in maximising the societal value of energy planning and investment, as well as the changes needed to embed new practices among public authorities, regulators and energy-sector stakeholders. Speakers include representatives from the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency, the International Energy Agency, national energy agencies and regulators, research organisations and energy-policy institutes.
Event details
Energy Efficiency First: Seeding Change and Maximising Multiple Impacts
Date and time: Thursday, 1 October 2026, 09:00–13:00 CEST
Venue: COMET Louise, Brussels Format: Hybrid—in Brussels and online
Programme & registration: https://micatool.eu/seed-micat-project-en/events/termine/seed-micat-final-event.php
More information about SEED MICAT: https://micatool.eu/seed-micat-project-en/index.php
More information about Enefirst Plus: https://ee1st.eu/
Contact us for more information about both projects.
CONTACT PERSON
Anousheh Parsaei, Communication Expert at IEECP
[email protected]
