In EU households, 62.8% of energy consumption is for space heating, and another 15.1% for water heating, mostly powered by fossil fuels. Heating and cooling is responsible for 52% of final energy demand in Europe. So, with REPowerEU, the EU has once again strengthened support for heat pumps to achieve energy independence and climate goals. Heat pump sales in Europe grew by an unprecedented 34% in 2021, thanks to a total 2.18m heat pump units … [Read more...]
Can the Czech Republic revive its clean energy ambitions?
Although an early enthusiast for solar in 2009 the Czech Republic’s clean energy ambitions stalled. The share of green electricity was only 12% last year, with solar contributing 3% and wind just 1%. The current government is now reviving the nation’s drive towards carbon-free energy. Will new Czech policies along with EU initiatives like REPowerEU, the Green Deal and the Modernisation Fund successfully breathe new life into the Czech transition? … [Read more...]
Green Hydrogen is ready to scale this decade
### Today’s article flags up a fascinating panel discussion on the book “Touching Hydrogen Future”, as part of the European Hydrogen Week taking place from 24-28 October 2022. This webinar, on Friday Oct 28 at 10:00 CEST, will be blue-sky thinking about the future of the hydrogen economy. Global in scope, it will dive into how a hydrogen-powered future might look in the Netherlands, Sweden, Ukraine, Romania and Morocco. REGISTER HERE ### Can … [Read more...]
Hydrogen imports: strict rules can deliver a win-win for Europe and developing nations
### Today’s article flags up a fascinating panel discussion on the book “Touching Hydrogen Future”, as part of the European Hydrogen Week taking place from 24-28 October 2022. This webinar, on Oct 28 at 10:00 CEST, will be blue-sky thinking about the future of the hydrogen economy. Global in scope, it will dive into how a hydrogen-powered future might look in the Netherlands, Greece, Ukraine and Morocco. REGISTER HERE ### The EU is moving … [Read more...]
How to ramp up Hydrogen under the new REPowerEU targets
What needs to be done to develop hydrogen as a major fuel in Europe as the continent looks to diversify away from Russian oil and gas supplies? The war in Ukraine has led to the EU substantially raising its hydrogen ambitions. While the earlier “Fit for 55” target for 2030 was set at 5.6 Mt, the new REPowerEU strategy has increased the target to 20 Mt, to replace 50 bcm of Russian gas. That means, for example, the use of hydrogen in industrial … [Read more...]
Project Air: building a first-of-a-kind, large-scale sustainable methanol plant for the chemicals industry
Project Air is creating a first-of-a-kind, large-scale sustainable methanol plant. It uses CCU for converting CO2, residue streams, green hydrogen and biomethane into methanol. It’s a collaboration between specialty chemicals innovator Perstorp (Sweden) and energy firms Fortum (Finland) and Uniper (Germany). Perstorp aims to be the first chemical producer to replace all fossil-based methanol for its European production facilities (200,000 tons … [Read more...]
Russia-Ukraine stalls EU Biofuels, but accelerates its medium/long-term targets
Rising food and fuel costs are pushing several EU countries to freeze or lower 2022-2023 low-carbon blending mandates for transportation fuels. That will likely mean a rise in emissions, but only in the short term, says Cornelius Claeys at Stratas Advisors. However, the same policymakers understand that ending imports of fossil fuels from a belligerent Russia is an opportunity to raise low-carbon targets for the medium and long term. So, right … [Read more...]
