Page 5 - European Energy Innovation - winter 2018 publication
P. 5
Winter 2018 European Energy Innovation 5
The publishers of European Energy FOREWORD
Innovation would like to offer their
sincere thanks to all individuals Foreword
and organisations who have
contributed editorial images photos “Greenhouse gas concentrations surge to new record”
and illustrations to the magazine.
Whilst every effort has been made This recent headline must surely have caught the attention of the green
to ensure accuracy of the content, energy community, while the story behind it can hardly make easy reading
the publishers of European Energy for anyone. Atmospheric concentrations of CO2 are rising 100 times faster
Innovation accept no responsibility than at the end of the last Ice Age, to values not seen on Earth for three
for errors or omissions. million years, when sea levels were up to 20m higher than today. Twenty
meters! No wonder climate change has been called “humanity’s greatest
The contents of European Energy threat in thousands of years.”
Innovation are protected by
copyright. Fortunately, Lily Riahi, of the UN's District in Cities Initiative offers a route to
the Paris targets by tackling emissions from heating and cooling. She does
All rights reserved. not mince her words, immediately making clear that decarbonising the
sector requires a “revolution”. Fortunately, modern district energy solutions
European Energy Innovation is can provide a major impetus, such as in Denmark, where they have reduced
published by: emissions by 20%. She goes on to explore national-scale projects in India
Prologue Media Ltd and Chile; and how public-private partnerships may accelerate investment.
1a Shire Lane
Chorleywood German MEP Angelika Niebler explores “home grown” problems arising
Hertfordshire WD3 5NQ from her country’s green energy transformation. A major one, she says, is
United Kingdom the lack of grid between the North (where much renewable wind power
is generated), and the energy-hungry South. “The government is pushing
Tel: +44 1923 286238 for an expansion of the grid” she continues, but “citizens do not want
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu them to be built near their homes and consumers protest against higher
energy bills”. She contends that the internal energy market offers the best
To obtain additional means to accelerate renewable uptake, provide security of supply and stay
copies please email info@ economically competitive.
europeanenergyinnovation.eu
We are delighted that Prof. Dr. Klaus-Dieter Borchardt, Director for the
Editor Internal Energy Market at DG ENER, discusses the future role of gas. Since
Michael Edmund 100% renewable electricity is neither technically feasible nor economically
editor@europeanenergyinnovation.eu acceptable, he outlines how a hybrid RE-Gas model might fulfil climate
expectations, even though it too must depend upon decarbonisation of gas.
Business Development Director CCS technology, renewable gas – biomethane and biogas; and ultimately
Philip Beausire hydrogen – will all feature, but we we need dialogue across the energy,
philip@europeanenergyinnovation.eu transport and heating sectors, and structured cooperation between them
all and the energy-intensive industries and customers.
Head of Brussels office
Sophia Silvert Bart Biebuyck, Executive Director, Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint
Mob: +32 4737 30322 Undertaking (FCH JU) suggests that Europe should continue to support
sophia@europeanenergyinnovation.eu the technology because it will become central to the decarbonisation of
energy and transport systems. He goes on to show that FCH technologies
Design & Production can also provide an important means of energy storage, and how polymer
RayHeathDesign.com electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells can decarbonise even the petroleum
industry, before signalling a warning about the ‘valley of death’ that awaits
Website design new technologies that are not properly supported.
pulseart.co.uk
In his highly informative article, Javier Gómez Prieto of the Joint Research
Print Centre explores how trends in social innovation are influencing Smart
The Magazine Printing Company, Specialisation, the approach to identifying innovation potential of EU
Enfield, Middlesex, United Kingdom regions. This helps ensure that input from citizens, often given insufficient
weight, can be both generated and matched with business requirements.
The internationally-respected naturalist Sir David Attenborough, speaking at
the opening of the UN-sponsored climate talks in Katowice, Poland, made
apocalyptic predictions about the effects of climate change. Hopefully, with
these tools, we can help avert such a catastrophe.
And there is much more for you to read inside…
Michael Edmund
Editor
www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu
