Energy in Demand News, August 31, 2025

behaviour/attitudes, buildings, carbon emissions, carbon offsets, clean energy, climate change, climate finance, decarbonisation, electricity grids, energy efficiency, energy transition, environment, fossil fuels, GHG emissions, international co-operation, renewable energy, Solar PV, Sustainable development

The expression Energy Efficiency 1st is not just a PR slogan. This week, 67 Industry players and 26 national and EU industry associations wrote to the EU’s Danish Presidency, concerned about the draft compromise text on the EU Climate Law from 31st July, which removes explicit references to the Energy Efficiency First (EE1st) principle. The letter goes on: “This principle is a cornerstone of the EU’s climate and energy policy, enshrined both as a general principle and in sector-specific legislation. Removing it from the Climate Law would threaten the ongoing implementation of the energy efficiency regulatory framework and weaken our collective capacity to deliver on our climate objectives. It would create confusion for policymakers, regulators, and investors who are still legally required to apply EE1st under the Fit for 55 Package.” This is a major issue that the Danish Presidency and Member States must seriously reflect upon. Why is the EU backtracking? What is the pressure within Europe to abandon commitment to one of the most effective approaches tocombat climate change? In the face of the challenge of meeting our long-term climate and energy goals, we cannot afford any backsliding on improved energy efficiency. You can read the full letter here.
In more discouraging news, The Times reports that the Net-Zero Banking Alliance co-founded in 2021 by Mark Carney, now Prime Minister of Canada, will hold a vote on whether to abandon its membership model. “ … sentiment has since turned against climate initiatives in a shift partly fuelled by the return to the White House of Donald Trump, who has called climate change ‘one of the greatest scams of all time’. Financial firms, including asset managers who are part of a sister alliance, have also faced allegations in the US that their climate activities breached competition law.” What next?
The New York Times reports this week that Trump continues to do everything possible to promote fossil fuels and  move away from renewable energy. “During a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Mr. Trump said he was trying to educate other nations. ‘I’m trying to have people learn about wind real fast, and I think I’ve done a good job, but not good enough because some countries are still trying,’ Mr. Trump said. He said countries were ‘destroying themselves’ with wind energy and he said, ‘I hope they get back to fossil fuels.’” During his first term, “Mr. Trump primarily focused his energy policy on withdrawing the United States from global discussions about climate change. . . . This time around, the administration is “actively trying to undermine countries” on global warming.” Heaven knows what will happen at COP30 in Brazil later this year.

There are big tax changes coming to Denmark starting next January. The electricity tax will be significantly lowered from 1 January 2026 – from the currently planned 72.7 øre per kWh to just 0.8 øre per kWh. EiD understands that the government is lowering the electricity tax to give households financial “elbow room” in a time of rising prices, reduce inequality, and to promote the green transition by encouraging increased use of green power and flexible electricity consumption, which will be easier to see when the tax no longer shadows the electricity price itself. Note that the electricity tax was introduced in 1977 to save energy during the oil crisis and to reduce CO₂ emissions by limiting electricity consumption. Today, the tax is designed to support climate and environmental goals and to influence consumer behaviour to choose greener energy solutions. It will be good to hear from readers in Denmark to find out if this big cut in the tax means a change in priorities.

Don’t forget eceee’s Zero Carbon Industry event in Rome in February 2026. The deadline for submitting abstracts is coming up quickly – September 15th!

To ensure that the zero carbon energy transition gains momentum we need a new generation of experts to continue the good work. EiD encourages all young researchers (born after 1990) in energy efficiency and biomass to submit contributions for next year’s Young Energy Researchers Conference next February 24th as part of World Sustainable Energy Days, February 24-27, 2026 in Wels, Austria. Altogether there are five dedicated conferences and a tradeshow packed into the four days. The theme of this year’s energy efficiency conference is “Energy transition = Energy independence.” The young energy researchers conference has 2 tracks, one for energy efficiency and one for biomass. Submissions (in English only) are welcome from all scientific fields (e.g. technology, engineering, economics, social sciences, architecture, law, arts). The deadline for submissions is October 10th!

In planning travel over the upcoming weeks, here are some useful ideas to help you along:

William Least Heat-Moon (b. 1939), an American travel writer and historian, gives us a good message for our travels: “When you’re traveling, you are what you are right there and then. People don’t have your past to hold against you. No yesterdays on the road.”

EiD welcomes your views about this week’s selection of posts on the zero-carbon energy transition:

Please send your comments on any of the posts. Please recommend EiD to your friends and colleagues.

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