Energy efficiency
Exposed: Europe’s accounting tricks on energy savings
A growing number of EU member states are planning to use accounting tricks, including changes in fuel taxes introduced in the past, to claim “additional” energy savings as part of their EU climate obligations, EURACTIV can reveal.
Velux CEO: ‘If you want the most energy efficient home, live in a cave’
Companies and lawmakers must take more responsibility in helping to solve issues related to buildings, including reducing carbon emissions and improving health standards, according to Velux CEO David Briggs.
French MP: ‘We try to bring method to the madness of building renovation’
The Yellow Vest movement has actually boosted France's ambition to be a building renovation champion as it positioned the economy front and centre in the debate, the government's 'co-pilot' for the project told EURACTIV.
Healthy homes: ‘The biggest health and business opportunity of a lifetime’
Indoor environment quality and healthy homes play an ever more substantial role in human wellbeing, according to new research unveiled at a high-level event last week (10 October).
Buildings and the forgotten 90%
Human beings spend on average 90% of their lives indoors. Buildings are also a huge drain on energy resources and create a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions. This Special Report looks deeper into the places we live and work.
Intelligent building technologies are critical to a low-carbon future
Rapid urbanisation and climate change are intertwined, making decarbonisation of the built environment paramount to stabilising the future. The technologies that will deliver significant emissions reductions there will deliver benefits for all those involved, writes Casey Talon.
Decarbonising Europe’s heating sector
Heating is responsible for almost half (40%) of the EU's total energy consumption, and a large share of the bloc's carbon emissions. Yet, politicians are reluctant to confront the issue head-on. EURACTIV examines the reasons behind this and some of the solutions being considered at local and EU level.
EU climate official: Innovation fund will help decarbonise metals production
The production of non-ferrous metals such as aluminium is very energy-intensive, but new technologies are being developed to decarbonise the process and the European Commission is ready to finance them, says Mauro Petriccione.
Energy transition ‘happening fast but not quickly enough’ to stop planet heating: report
The remaining carbon budget to limit global warming to 1.5°C will be exhausted as early as 2028, even as the transition to low-carbon energy gains momentum, according to risk management firm DNV GL, which calls for “extraordinary policy action” to lower emissions.
How do Power-to-X technologies work?
P2X, P2Y, PtG, PtL, power-to-gas... These somewhat cryptic terms stand for energy conversion processes that can be used to store surplus power from renewable sources and help meet climate targets. But whether they will actually reduce emissions depends on many different factors, EURACTIV Germany reports.
German environmental groups: PtX-tech not ‘necessarily’ climate-friendly
So-called Power-to-X (PtX) technologies are seen as a good way of reducing greenhouse gas emissions because their potential for storing energy could stabilise the electricity grid. However, German environmental groups BUND and the Öko-Institut have criticised the technology. EURACTIV Germany reports.
Profit, planet, and people: Dublin stadium’s approach to sustainability
Controlling the social, economic and environmental impact of its activity should be at the core of the administration of a sports venue, managers of the Aviva Stadium in Dublin told EURACTIV in an interview.
With fraudulent practices on Europe’s energy refurbishment market, national market authorities are needed!
Public decision-makers want to see progress on the energy refurbishment market. This means that EU member states need to take measures to enable the emergence of energy transition operators.
In a moment of urgency, put energy efficiency first
Steps can be taken to improve energy efficiency. This is the surest route to achieving the goals of the Paris Climate Agreement, write Kim Fausing and Rachel Kyte.
Forest Green Rovers, the world’s greenest football club
A vegan menu, bamboo-made t-shirts, an organic pitch, a stadium 100% powered with renewable energy… in less than a decade, the Forest Green Rovers has become the first carbon-neutral club in the world. EURACTIV interviewed its manager.
EU ‘climate leaders’ praised on goal-setting but falling short on detail
Finland, Sweden, Portugal, France and Germany are often seen as “climate leaders” when it comes to setting ambitious carbon reduction objectives for 2050. However, they lack concrete measures to achieve them, according to fresh analysis published today (4 July).
Official EU petition calls for minimum carbon price
The European Commission registered an official petition on Wednesday (7 July) that calls on the EU executive to set up a minimum carbon price, “discourage the consumption of fossil fuels” and keep global warming to below 1.5 degrees.OpinionPromoted content
To enable Europe’s clean energy future, we need to buckle up and couple up
The theme for this year’s EU Sustainable Energy Week is ’Shaping Europe’s Energy Future’ - that future holds plenty of potential and must rest on further integration across sector and policies to ensure we optimize our energy systems for optimal performance and efficiency.
National energy and climate plans will not meet targets, EU warns
UPDATE: The European Commission warned EU countries today (18 June) that draft national plans for the coming decade are insufficient to achieve the bloc’s 2030 energy and climate targets. "Substantial" gaps have been identified on renewables and energy efficiency.
The internet of energy has arrived, Scottish start-up claims
Faraday Grid, a clean tech start-up based in the UK, has launched a global marketing offensive for its latest transformer, saying it could do for electricity networks what the router did for the telecoms sector in the 1990s.
Newer forces are altering the HVAC market
The residential heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) market could pick up the pace with advances in regulations, technology and a push for carbon fuel efficiency, writes Neil Strother.
Connecting the dots to enable climate leadership at all levels
We are running out of time to achieve the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius by 2030, and need urgent and ambitious climate leadership. Cities are central to this effort – and it is crucial that we continue to enable our cities to address and solve climate challenges, writes Lars Tveen.
Betis, the Spanish club committed to going climate neutral
Spanish football club Real Betis is well known for the colours of its T-shirt, green and white. But now they want to integrate that concept into their whole policy by leading the way in making soccer more sustainable.
EU national climate plans well below par, study reveals
Of the 28 draft national energy and climate plans submitted by EU member states, not a single one is on a pathway to reach net-zero emission by 2050, according to a fresh analysis published on Thursday (16 May).
In the US, Marijuana growers turn to energy efficiency
To face the collapse of cannabis prices, American producers are turning to energy efficiency as a way of cutting down costs and remaining competitive. EURACTIV’s partner le Journal de l’environnement reports.Supporter
Danfoss top five priorities for a successful DWD revision:
- Unlock investments in energy efficiency and digitalization
- Increase transparency about energy use and water losses in the European water sector
- Enforce reduction of water leaks to de-risk contamination through leaky pipes
- Make information easy to understand by the public and comparable between member states
- Think circular economy
