The International Energy Agency (IEA) held its 10th annual Global Energy Efficiency Conference in Brussels this past week. The invitation-only two-day conference was co-chaired by the European Commissioner for Energy and Housing Dan Jørgensen and IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol, and was organised with the support of the Energy Efficiency Movement. There were many excellent panels and 700 attendees from 100 countries. There were restricted meetings for CEOs, Ministers (see their outcome statement), the IEA clean energy labour council, and the global commission on people centred clean energy transitions. The second day featured various thematic events, including ‘Energy Efficiency Meets the Grid’ and ‘Industrial Parks as Active Grid Assets’ which were organised by eceee. Overall, it is important for governments to reinforce their pledge set at COP28 to double the global average annual rate of energy efficiency improvements from around 2% to over 4% every year until 2030. Sadly, it isn’t even at 2% yet. At this conference, 47 countries agreed “to accelerate global progress on energy efficiency and to reaffirm that energy efficiency is a top priority across all policy areas.” Let’s hope the enthusiasm and these commitments really do ensure we meet the 2030 target. And let us all ensure our representatives from our various countries and international organisations are held to account. We need action and we need impact. Now!
At the IEA event, nuclear energy was referred to as a clean energy. That is debatable but it is definitely low carbon. Interestingly, this week, the New York Times notes that “The world’s largest and most influential development bank [the World Bank] said on Wednesday it would lift its longstanding ban on funding nuclear power projects. . . . The decision . . . could have profound implications for the ability of developing countries to industrialize without burning planet-warming fuels such as coal and oil.” Maybe a combination of energy efficiency and renewable energy deployment would have more impact and be cheaper for developing countries. What are your views?
On Friday, the Financial Times reported: “The European Commission’s powerful competition directorate is blocking a push that would allow governments to subsidise the production costs of clean energy technologies, flaring tensions between EU officials enforcing state-aid rules and those working on industry.” The FT article continued: “Teresa Ribera, the EU’s competition commissioner, is refusing to exempt the operating costs of solar panel, wind turbine and battery producers from the bloc’s notoriously strict state-aid regime, said four people with knowledge of the talks.” Not all Commissioners are in agreement so the talks go on. Commenting on the need for such state aid, Victor van Hoorn of the industry group Cleantech for Europe said: “If we don’t use our full arsenal of policy tools — including production-based support — the EU is going to struggle to meet its own cleantech manufacturing target of 40 per cent by 2030.” Let’s see where this ends up.
Upcoming event not to miss: On 24 June in Brussels, the NGO-thinktank collective Cool Heating Coalition is organising a European Parliament session followed by a public ‘action de sensibilisation’ to highlight the necessity of meeting Europe’s increasing cooling demand with sustainable solutions: including passive cooling, urban greening, district cooling and the use of natural refrigerants. The intriguing ‘action de sensibilisation’ will run from 12.30-14.30 and includes performances curated by Belgian artist and designer Jana Roos from her Ice Adaptability series. Registrations close June 19th. You can register here.
In planning travel over the upcoming weeks, here are some useful ideas to help you along:
- Country Living Magazine provides 3 European train routes set to transform travel in 2025.
- World Walks provides us with the top spring walks in Europe.
- For those who want to combine hiking with food and wine in Europe and Australia, check out the Hedonistic Hiking website.
- Cycling for Softies provides us with the 15 Best Cycling Holidays in Europe 2025.
- Turin, Italy is embracing a new era, transforming from an industrial powerhouse into a flourishing tourism destination: Torino Named European Capital of Smart Tourism 2025.
Adam Smith (1723-1790), the Scottish economist and philosopher who was a pioneer in the field of political economy and key figure during the Scottish Enlightenment, gives us his view on science: “Science is the great antidote to the poison of enthusiasm and superstition.”
EiD welcomes your views about this week’s selection of posts on the zero-carbon energy transition:
- New EEA report on impact on the most vulnerable groups in Europe
- New global ESCO market report from UNEP’s Copenhagen Climate Centre
- Blog by Ellie Gabel: The Feedback Loop: How Increased Air Conditioning Use Is Accelerating Climate Change
- Finding out what’s holding people back from getting energy-saving upgrades to their homes
- How to minimise environmental impact when scrapping e-bikes
- Data centres will “compete with local communities for energy and water”
- Romania’s energy transition: legal action to try to disband Greenpeace Romania
- New publication from BPIE: Making the global pledge to double energy efficiency count
- In simplifying the European Union’s green rulebook, what is the role of experts?
Please send your comments on any of the posts. Please recommend EiD to your friends and colleagues.
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Energy in Demand - Sustainable Energy - Rod Janssen 