Page 5 - European Energy Innovation magazine - autumn 2022 edition

Autumn 2022 European Energy Innovation
FOREWORD 5

Foreword

ven as this Summer’s record Meanwhile, Harry Boyd-Carpenter stopping of new commercial ICE
temperatures and wildfi res explores the explosion in demand vehicles as soon as 2030, there is
scorched Europe and seared for minerals associated with new RE much to ponder here.
Ethe words ‘climate change’ technologies and new infrastructure.
even deeper into our collective “Being green”, he says “goes hand in And so to Morten Helveg Petersen’s
consciousness, events in Ukraine hand with supporting exploration for discussion of Energy Effi ciency -
have imparted a fresh sense of and the extraction of those minerals.” “so often the neglected stepchild
urgency to our fi ght to stop the To illustrate the issue, he shares the of energy policy”, he says, because
planet overheating. Russian startling fact that China processes insulation materials and thermostats
weaponisation of gas has drawn 98% of the EU’s rare earth elements, don’t offer as tangible a vision of
predictably furious responses from and goes on to discuss the activity of progress as a 100 metre-tall wind
those most reliant upon it – including the EBRD in supporting novel mining turbine. With 75 percent of Europe’s
the scramble to fi ll reserves and and electronic recycling projects to buildings demonstrating poor energy
fi nd alternative sources. With equally reduce supply risk within the EU. performance, we are simply allowing
predictable effects on gas prices energy to slip through our fi ngers. But
in particular, and energy prices in Seán Kelly MEP makes a welcome Petersen counters by pointing out
general as, with ghastly inevitability, return to our pages, with a review of that reduced electricity consumption
a slow-motion economic tsunami how PV is being integrated into the means less wasted energy; district
bears down upon our interconnected building stock. Kelly is at great pains heating is more energy-effi cient than
world of fi nely-tuned, just-in-time to point out the solution must not central heating; energy effi ciency
consumer supply chains – “From be more painful than the problem. speeds the green transition; jobs
German tomatoes to Swedish bread”, Reminding us that buildings are will be created in construction
intones Bloomberg solemnly. For responsible for 36% of Europe’s and companies producing energy
nothing can be grown, manufactured emissions, and 40% of the energy it effi ciency solutions.The case for
or moved without Energy. And Winter consumes, he warns that the Energy Energy Effi ciency is based upon the
is just around the corner. And the Performance of Buildings Directive familiar mantra that the greenest
supermarket shelves still need to be must acknowledge that imposing energy is the energy we don’t use.
replenished. obligations without providing But Petersen provides a long list of
suffi cient means to achieve standards compellingly tangible benefi ts behind
Morten Helveg Petersen sums up this will simply increase inequality. He those words.
most pressing issue very succinctly. sees rooftop solar power as an
“Putin has reminded us all”, he says, attractive option, especially if the But perhaps the most signifi cant
“that saving energy is the only quick EPBD makes rooftop solar panels consequence is weaning ourselves
fi x around that immediately reduces mandatory on new commercial and off our dependence on a resource
our dependency on his gas”. More on public buildings, as well as new for which are paying vast sums of
Petersen’s excellent article later. residential buildings by 2029. money. Money that is used to fi nance
genocidal war aims.
Gas, then, something of a critical We feature Transport with an article
resource: so much the better, then, if by Karima Delli MEP, who explores the And there is much more for you to
we can produce it from a renewable thinking behind moves to regulate the read inside…
source. In this issue, the IEA assesses emissions of light-duty road vehicles.
biogas within a new policy context of Given that transport is responsible
RePowerEU - which envisions a 40% for about 25% of CO emissions in
2
average annual growth in biomethane the EU; and with its talk of phasing Michael Edmund
production over the next 7 years. out ICE vehicles and the planned Editor

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