The Directive on the promotion of cogeneration based on a useful heat demand in the internal energy market and amending Directive 92/42/EEC, officially Directive 2004/8/EC, is a European Union directive for promoting the use of cogeneration, popularly better known as the 'Combined Heat and Power (CHP) Directive'. Its aim is to increase the energy efficiency and improve the security of supply of energy, to be achieved by creating a framework for the promotion and development of high efficiency cogeneration. The directive entered into force in February 2004 and member states have been obliged to begin its implementation since 2006. However, due to delays resulting out of the comitology process, member states were given until 6 August 2007 to adopt the first obligations of the directive. The directive amended a former directive, Directive 92/62/EEC. It is intended that the directive will have a significant impact on the legislation and the diffusion of CHP/cogeneration and district heating within the member states of the European Union. In summary, the Member States are obliged to produce reports covering their analysis of the state of CHP in their own countries, to promote CHP and show what is being done to promote it, to report on and remove barriers, and to track progress of high-efficiency cogeneration within the energy market.

Directorate-General for Energy

The directive comes under and is administered by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Energy.

Support mechanism for CHP per member states

EU27 – Member States' national support schemes available by categories: RES = Renewable energy sources NG = Natural gas Certificates: W = White certificates, R = Red certificates, Y = Yellow certificates, G = Green certificates Notes: