Rémi Collombet in Contexte on the primary energy factor for electricity

Our Secretary General, Rémi Collombet, spoke to Contexte about the coming review of the primary energy factor for electricity, the value that sets how much primary energy is counted for each kilowatt-hour of electricity used. The Energy Efficiency Directive fixes it at 1.9 by default and asks the European Commission to review it by 25 December 2026, then every four years. The Commission intends to revise it through an implementing regulation in the first quarter of 2027. Member States can keep using a different value where their national situation justifies it.

Part of the industry expects the factor to go down, as the power sector decarbonises. Rémi said a lower value would make electric heating more attractive, but it could also make national building stocks look better on their Energy Performance Certificates without a single building being improved, and so weaken the incentive to renovate.

For Rémi, Europe needs both: electrification and renovation together are what will “generate sustainable reductions in energy bills”.

Published in Contexte Énergie, 9 November 2026.