Page 5 - European Energy Innovation - winter 2019 publication
P. 5
Winter 2019 European Energy Innovation 5
FOREWORD
The publishers of European Energy Foreword
Innovation would like to offer their 2019 concludes a decade of exceptional global heat and high-impact weather
sincere thanks to all individuals
and organisations who have Published this month, the stark conclusion of the World Meteorological
contributed editorial images photos Organisations echoes that of 2017, which was “…the warmest on record
and illustrations to the magazine. without an El Niño event…” while “The world’s nine warmest years have all
Whilst every effort has been made occurred since 2005, and the five warmest since 2010." Meanwhile, NASA’s
to ensure accuracy of the content, climate change newsletter of 3 December shows that when seasonal
the publishers of European Energy variations are taken into account, atmospheric CO2 follows a steady,
Innovation accept no responsibility consistent upward trend. And the trend line is unnervingly straight.
for errors or omissions.
Whatever we are doing, it's not working.
The contents of European Energy
Innovation are protected by Some suggest that climate change is some unspecified geopolitical
copyright. conspiracy, or a big business stunt designed to extract more revenue from
the hapless people; others that it is simply a hoax.
All rights reserved.
The data suggest otherwise.
European Energy Innovation is
published by: Should we give up and just accept that we cannot control the climate?
Prologue Media Ltd The answer surely lies in the academic consensus surrounding the
1a Shire Lane anthropogenic component of climate change. If we are instrumental in
Chorleywood causing it, we must be instrumental in its mitigation. We must act.
Hertfordshire WD3 5NQ
United Kingdom There is no doubt about the financial will: Dirk Beckers reviews the work
of INEA in support of clean and smart urban mobility. It currently manages
Tel: +44 1923 286238 a total of 91 projects with a total EU contribution so far of almost €700
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu million. Examining the role of the EIB in the future of industry, Wilhelm
Molterer also sounds a note of optimism: he asserts that net-zero
To obtain additional emissions by 2050 is becoming a possibility, even from a sector that
copies please email info@ currently emits 20% of global CO2. He suggests that significant changes
europeanenergyinnovation.eu in value chains and business models are required, but that an energy
transition is becoming viable because most of the necessary technologies
Editor are already available – and their costs are declining.
Michael Edmund
editor@europeanenergyinnovation.eu Nor should we doubt the optimism: Marian Jean Marinescu sounds an
upbeat note about aviation. Its past performance is impressive: since 1990,
Business Development Director the industry fuel efficiency has improved by 52%, while other performance
Philip Beausire indicators such as average fuel burn per passenger kilometer flown and
philip@europeanenergyinnovation.eu noise energy per flight will also improve; figures offset by the expected
growth in passenger numbers and consequent CO2 and NOX emissions.
Director of Communications He argues that implementing the Single European Sky would have an
Sophia Silvert immediate decarbonisation effect, but warns that measures to reduce
Mob: +32 4737 30322 emissions should not also have adverse effects upon competitiveness
sophia@europeanenergyinnovation.eu and jobs.
Design & Production Meanwhile, Cyril Harry examines how interconnecting electricity and gas
RayHeathDesign.com power systems can contribute to the success of the energy transition. If
80% of electricity will come from clean sources of generation by 2045, then
Website design gas will play its part as a bridge fuel in the transition. Gas-fired generation
pulseart.co.uk clearly relies upon the integration of a gas supply, while “power to gas”
networks may involve using clean electricity to produce hydrogen or
Print synthetic methane through water electrolysis. This type of energy storage
The Magazine Printing Company, can provide unmatched flexibility.
Enfield, Middlesex, United Kingdom
And so, despite the data, there is evidence that the next generation will
inherit a habitable planet – and it will still be habitable for the one after
that. Christiane Egger and Megan Gignac explore how the Regional Energy
Agency of Upper Austria has started to engage very young citizens with its
three-point plan: Start them young, train them well and let them take part.
The aim? To make energy saving and climate protection second nature.
Little seasonal cheer, perhaps, but there is hope after all…
...and a lot more for you to read inside.
Michael Edmund
Editor
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
