Opinions
Future of the Energy Union: bringing the transformative potential of energy efficiency in the National Energy and Climate Plans
As EU member states prepare to submit their revised National Energy and Climate Plans (NECPs) to the European Commission on 30 June, they must pay greater attention to energy efficiency, writes EU-ASE President Monica Frassoni in Euractiv. A future energy system must be highly energy and resource efficient, based on renewables, secure,...
The water-energy nexus: connecting water saving, energy efficiency and the reduction of emissions.
Water and energy are probably two of the most essential, interlinked, and precious resources in our daily lives. In our current climate and energy crisis, unleashing the potential of the water-energy nexus will drive substantial water and energy savings, reducing emissions and increase the competitiveness of European industry, says Monica...
Investing in energy efficiency: if not now when?
As the cheapest & cleanest energy is the one we don’t need, rapidly increasing energy savings is of outmost importance to address the current crises, says Monica Frassoni in Euractiv, ahead of the first edition of the European Energy Efficiency Day conference. More than two hundred days have passed since Russia launched a full-scale...
Energy Efficiency and renewables are two sides of the same lucky coin
Energy efficiency measures, coupled with renewables, are the right tools for achieving carbon neutrality and protecting our energy sovereignty, says Francesco Venturini of Enel X Global Retail ahead of the first edition of the European Energy Efficiency Day. Citizens, businesses and local governments must join forces to equip themselves...
A battle for the climate inside buildings
Amidst the climate and energy crisis, Europe’s ageing building stock provides a challenge—and an opportunity, says Julie Kjestrup of the VELUX Group ahead of the first edition of the European Energy Efficiency Day. There are more benefits to energy efficiency measures than simply saving money. Climate change is happening rapidly and so are the...
Decarbonisation through digitalisation: The key role of smart city districts in boosting energy efficiency
Smart buildings are energy-saving, sustainable buildings. Clustered into smart city districts, they play a crucial role in climate protection. The adaptive, open-source technology to make this possible is already available, says Matthias Rebellius of Siemens Smart Infrastructure on Foresight Climate & Energy ahead of the first edition of the...
Water efficiency could help Europe drive decarbonisation and boost industrial competitiveness
As water scarcity becomes a bigger issue, industry must become more resilient by reducing pressure on available freshwater resources. Strong policy frameworks are required to support more efficient water usage, says Emilio Tenuta from Ecolab on Foresight Climate & Energy ahead of the first edition of the European Energy Efficiency Day. While...
The water-energy nexus: an untapped resource for major energy savings
Water requires energy. When we move it, clean it, heat it and cool it—energy moves with it. These two precious resources come together seamlessly in our daily lives, but they can also jointly create significant energy savings. Unleashing the potential of the water-energy nexus will drive substantial energy savings to repower the EU while...
Adding energy efficiency into the energy mix is essential to delivering Europe’s climate goals
Simply rolling out renewables will not be enough to end Europe’s dependency on gas. Energy efficiency is just as important, writes Katarzyna Wardal on Foresight Climate & Energy ahead of the first edition of the European Energy Efficiency Day. Energy efficiency should be considered as important as other power generation fuel types Despite it...
To get rid of Russian fossil fuels, the EU needs to put energy savings first
The REPowerEU plan must come with credible, actionable measures that governments, citizens and industry can implement by following the Green Deal agenda and notably energy savings measures. To support this, the EU can count on clean, made-in-Europe technologies that are at the heart of the energy transition, write Monica Frassoni and Harry...