The Horizon 2020 funded project, LEAP4SME â Energy audit policies to drive energy efficiency â aims to enhance effective policies for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to undergo energy audits and implement cost-effective, recommended energy-saving measures. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), SMEs account for at least 13% of global final energy consumption annually and energy efficiency improvements are to … [Read more...]
Is Blockchain a disruptor? Or the solution to an already-disrupted energy sector
The global energy sector is already facing multiple, concurrent disruptions that are fundamentally transforming electricity markets around the world: digitalisation, decarbonisation, decentralisation, and electric mobility. Itâs creating residential prosumers, with their solar panels, electric vehicles, smart thermostats (the list is growing) and a predicted global installed distributed energy resources (DERs) capacity of 530 GW by 2026, … [Read more...]
Decarbonisation of Transport: Options and Challenges – free Brussels debate and report launch
Decarbonisation of transport remains one of the most challenging aspects of the transition to a sustainable energy system. Focussing on road transport, the European Academies' Science Advisory Council (EASAC)'s upcoming report contains detailed recommendations for actions on the part of all major stakeholders. The report will be officially launched at what promises to be a fascinating event featuring a high-level panel discussion with speakers … [Read more...]
Too âlow-hanging fruitâ is not sweet enough (and eventually neither clean nor cheap)!
At a lunch debate organised by the European Heat Pump Association (EHPA) on âThe costs of a low level of ambition in greening the heating and cooling sectorâ and hosted by EUFORES President MEP Jeppe Kofod on 30 January, representatives from industry, civil society, the European Commission (EC) and MEPs from several countries and political groups (Jeppe Kofod, Bendt Bendtsen, Theresa Griffin, Jo Leinen, Gesine Meissner and Paul RĂźbig) … [Read more...]
Making deep decarbonisation a reality
While the final agreement of the Clean Energy Package represents a critical step forward for the energy industry, I have some bad news. There is still a lot more work to do. Whilst it might be tempting to think of the design of energy regulations and markets as a path from âbadâ to âgoodâ, this is not the case. It is a never-ending journey driven by changes in context, people and technology. Ten years ago, I helped produce the landmark … [Read more...]