Page 7 - European Energy Innovation - Spring 2016 publication
P. 7
Spring 2016 European Energy Innovation 7
Three questions to
Morten Helveg Petersen
our urban planning, our electricity “It's a cliché, but
grids, heating and cooling systems and we are beginning a
our transport networks, we can create genuine period of
synergies that lead to highly efficient, energy transition
cost-effective and environmentally- now. One way or
friendly solutions. another fossil fuels
and centralised power
Vice Chair of the Industry, Research The obvious example is coupling generation are in
and Energy Committee, MEP Morten waste heat from industrial or decline.”
Helveg Petersen commercial processes to district
heating systems, turning waste Morten Helveg Petersen, MEP
As a Member of the heat into a product, cutting gas
European Parliament in the consumption, lowering costs to resilience, lower costs for industry
ALDE group and Vice Chair consumers and making the most of and consumers, and minimise or even
of the Industry, Research available resources. We’re seeing eliminate greenhouse gas emissions.
and Energy committee, Morten Helveg limited examples of this today, but to But this can only be achieved when we
Petersen’s mission is to support the really optimise this possibility we need change our mind-sets.
development of a European Energy to go for genuinely smart planning
Union and a genuine single market for that cuts across different sectors. In so We’re looking at a much more
energy, based primarily on renewable many cases, the opportunity is there dynamic but also challenging energy
energy sources and highly energy- but the strategic vision isn’t. If we can market. Monopolies will slowly
efficient technologies to meet Europe’s develop this approach we can achieve break up and we will see much more
energy needs in the 21st Century while genuinely sustainable energy systems. regionalisation and localisation of
fighting climate change. energy supply and use.
WHAT ARE THE TRENDS THAT
WHAT DOES SUSTAINABLE ENERGY WE SHOULD LOOK OUT FOR IN This creates a much more open
MEAN TO YOU? SUSTAINABLE ENERGY? AND WHAT environment for innovation and new
Sustainability means many things to IMPACTS DO THEY HAVE ON WHAT thinking to influence how we use
many people. For me the discussion WE’RE DOING NOW OR IN THE energy, but the true potential of all this
about sustainable energy should FUTURE? will only be realised with much more
go beyond environmental or social More innovative thinking: It’s a cliché, innovative thinking and with more input
considerations taken in isolation. What but we are beginning a genuine from outside the old guard big energy
we need, and what we are in many period of energy transition now. companies. It’s genuinely exciting!
cases seeing is the best use of energy One way or another fossil fuels and
– by this I mean optimising outcomes centralised power generation are in DO YOU PLAN TO ATTEND EU
with the most efficient use of resources decline, and many more intermittent SUSTAINABLE ENERGY WEEK
available. renewables are coming into Europe’s (EUSEW.EU) IN JUNE? WHAT
power grids. WOULD YOU HOPE TO GET OUT IT?
By building this kind of thinking into Absolutely! This initiative is a fantastic
There are huge possibilities to opportunity to build connections and
transform our energy systems to partnerships with others active in this
give us more energy security and important area. It’s always great to
catch up with friends and colleagues
“There are huge possibilities to transform our as well as developing new connections
energy systems to give us more energy security and new ideas. l
and resilience… But this can only be achieved
when we change our mind-sets.”
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
