Page 12 - European Energy Innovation - Winter 2015 publication
P. 12
Winter 2015 European Energy Innovation
ELECTRIFICATION
(OHFWULƓFDWLRQŊDNH\VROXWLRQIRUD
GHFDUERQLVHG(XURSH
By Hans ten Berge, Secretary General, EURELECTRIC (pictured)
Acommon challenge
facing industry, contribution to meet Europe’s primary energy consumption.
policymakers climate change targets. With the In road and rail transport, the
and customers in power sector fully committed numbers are just as impressive.
to reducing CO2 emissions by
today’s energy world is: how 80-95% by 2050, and an effective In urban areas in particular,
to cost-effectively decarbonise policy framework in place to HOHFWULƓFDWLRQFDQDOVRKDYH
Europe. Heating and cooling ensure this goal, electricity is set VLJQLƓFDQWHQYLURQPHQWDO
in EU buildings and industries to become the energy carrier EHQHƓWV(OHFWULFLW\LQWUDQVSRUW
and heating can reduce air
constitutes 50% of our energy of the future. Therefore, if used pollution in our cities, especially
when it comes to local pollutants
consumption. Together with 32% more widely, it also has the such as particulates, NOx, SOx,
VOCs and ozone. The use of
for transport, they represent the potential to decarbonise other electric buses, trains and light
trains can drastically improve
largest shares of energy demand sectors, which currently have
WKHDLUTXDOLW\WUDIƓFFRQJHVWLRQ
across Europe. Currently, 85% of no prospect of becoming fully and noise pollution. Beyond
cities, electricity can also replace
heating and cooling is produced sustainable. fossil fuels in small and medium
enterprises (SMEs). This will allow
from fossil fuels. This means that concentrating energy related
emissions to those remaining
there is a vast potential to both ELECTRIFY AND BENEFIT electricity producing plants
decarbonise and save fuel. While Electrifying heating, cooling
ZLWKPRUHHIƓFLHQWSROOXWLRQ
some options to this are widely and transport with power from abatement systems that will
primarily be used as back-up
known, such as electric vehicles decarbonised sources reveals for carbon-neutral generation.
Therefore, switching from direct
(EVs), much more can already be DZLGHUDQJHRIEHQHƓWVZKLFK use of fossil fuels to electricity
enables energy users to meet
done, especially if we look at the are critical in the transition to a energy needs through zero
emission energy (solar, wind,
RYHUDOOSRWHQWLDORIHOHFWULƓFDWLRQ sustainable economy in Europe. hydro, geothermal, nuclear etc.).
REVEALING ELECTRICITY’S 2QHRIWKHNH\EHQHƓWVRI Since power can be produced
TRUE VALUE from many different sources,
In considering the true value of HOHFWULƓFDWLRQLVWKDWLWKHOSVPHHW
electricity as a means to achieve the world’s energy needs with HOHFWULƓFDWLRQDOORZVJUHDWHU
a decarbonised European less carbon. Using electricity for
economy, we must be clear that local heating in buildings and ŴH[LELOLW\DQGLQUHWXUQWKLV
no other current energy carrier cities would not only reduce will further strengthen the
can decarbonise to the same CO2 emissions, but it would also security of supply. At the same
extent and scale as electricity. cap the emissions of the heating
Decarbonising electricity sector by de facto bringing them WLPHHOHFWULI\LQJƓQDOHQHUJ\
generation will make a major under the EU Emissions Trading consumption could increase
System. storage opportunities. The use
of electric vehicle batteries or
Currently, there is widespread electric appliances (e.g. water
perception that improving
KHDWHUVDVŴH[LEOHGHPDQGDQG
HQHUJ\HIƓFLHQF\LPSOLHV decentralised energy storage
reducing electricity consumption. will allow higher renewable
However, recent technological penetration and increase the
developments have completely reliability of electricity supply.
reshaped the comparative
HIƓFLHQF\RIHOHFWULFLW\XVHYHUVXV
the use of other energy vectors
(e.g. gasoline, natural gas, oil).
Therefore, the use of more
electricity can actually result in
LQFUHDVHGHQHUJ\HIƓFLHQF\)RU
example, changing an oil burner
with a heat pump can, on average,
save almost 50% of annual
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
ELECTRIFICATION
(OHFWULƓFDWLRQŊDNH\VROXWLRQIRUD
GHFDUERQLVHG(XURSH
By Hans ten Berge, Secretary General, EURELECTRIC (pictured)
Acommon challenge
facing industry, contribution to meet Europe’s primary energy consumption.
policymakers climate change targets. With the In road and rail transport, the
and customers in power sector fully committed numbers are just as impressive.
to reducing CO2 emissions by
today’s energy world is: how 80-95% by 2050, and an effective In urban areas in particular,
to cost-effectively decarbonise policy framework in place to HOHFWULƓFDWLRQFDQDOVRKDYH
Europe. Heating and cooling ensure this goal, electricity is set VLJQLƓFDQWHQYLURQPHQWDO
in EU buildings and industries to become the energy carrier EHQHƓWV(OHFWULFLW\LQWUDQVSRUW
and heating can reduce air
constitutes 50% of our energy of the future. Therefore, if used pollution in our cities, especially
when it comes to local pollutants
consumption. Together with 32% more widely, it also has the such as particulates, NOx, SOx,
VOCs and ozone. The use of
for transport, they represent the potential to decarbonise other electric buses, trains and light
trains can drastically improve
largest shares of energy demand sectors, which currently have
WKHDLUTXDOLW\WUDIƓFFRQJHVWLRQ
across Europe. Currently, 85% of no prospect of becoming fully and noise pollution. Beyond
cities, electricity can also replace
heating and cooling is produced sustainable. fossil fuels in small and medium
enterprises (SMEs). This will allow
from fossil fuels. This means that concentrating energy related
emissions to those remaining
there is a vast potential to both ELECTRIFY AND BENEFIT electricity producing plants
decarbonise and save fuel. While Electrifying heating, cooling
ZLWKPRUHHIƓFLHQWSROOXWLRQ
some options to this are widely and transport with power from abatement systems that will
primarily be used as back-up
known, such as electric vehicles decarbonised sources reveals for carbon-neutral generation.
Therefore, switching from direct
(EVs), much more can already be DZLGHUDQJHRIEHQHƓWVZKLFK use of fossil fuels to electricity
enables energy users to meet
done, especially if we look at the are critical in the transition to a energy needs through zero
emission energy (solar, wind,
RYHUDOOSRWHQWLDORIHOHFWULƓFDWLRQ sustainable economy in Europe. hydro, geothermal, nuclear etc.).
REVEALING ELECTRICITY’S 2QHRIWKHNH\EHQHƓWVRI Since power can be produced
TRUE VALUE from many different sources,
In considering the true value of HOHFWULƓFDWLRQLVWKDWLWKHOSVPHHW
electricity as a means to achieve the world’s energy needs with HOHFWULƓFDWLRQDOORZVJUHDWHU
a decarbonised European less carbon. Using electricity for
economy, we must be clear that local heating in buildings and ŴH[LELOLW\DQGLQUHWXUQWKLV
no other current energy carrier cities would not only reduce will further strengthen the
can decarbonise to the same CO2 emissions, but it would also security of supply. At the same
extent and scale as electricity. cap the emissions of the heating
Decarbonising electricity sector by de facto bringing them WLPHHOHFWULI\LQJƓQDOHQHUJ\
generation will make a major under the EU Emissions Trading consumption could increase
System. storage opportunities. The use
of electric vehicle batteries or
Currently, there is widespread electric appliances (e.g. water
perception that improving
KHDWHUVDVŴH[LEOHGHPDQGDQG
HQHUJ\HIƓFLHQF\LPSOLHV decentralised energy storage
reducing electricity consumption. will allow higher renewable
However, recent technological penetration and increase the
developments have completely reliability of electricity supply.
reshaped the comparative
HIƓFLHQF\RIHOHFWULFLW\XVHYHUVXV
the use of other energy vectors
(e.g. gasoline, natural gas, oil).
Therefore, the use of more
electricity can actually result in
LQFUHDVHGHQHUJ\HIƓFLHQF\)RU
example, changing an oil burner
with a heat pump can, on average,
save almost 50% of annual
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
