Technology will play a crucial role in helping achieve the EU goal of reducing energy consumption by 20 per cent by 2020, according to a study released today.

IT is already making a difference, says John Laitner, who wrote the report for educational body the Association for Educational Assessment, Europe.

"The high-tech sector is already enabling improved energy efficiency in a vast number of ways – for example in transport and building and construction," said Laitner.

But EU policy needs to encourage these moves.

"We need the support of an appropriate policy framework that encourages the development and uptake of such beneficial technologies," said Laitner.

Since 1990, European economic growth has been partly a result of improved energy productivity, much of it generated by the adoption of advanced technologies.

Brussels should be encouraging the public sector to adopt technologies that are more energy efficienct through better procurement practices, says the report. It also recommends the EU promotes R&D to develop further technologies.

The EU’s Intelligent Energy Programme has €730m (£503m) to spend between 2007 and 2013 to support research into energy saving and efficiency, renewable supply and the energy-related aspects of transport in the region.