By Fernando Nuno / Published on Mon, 2009-04-27 17:35
EU27 energy losses in distribution transformers reach 33.4 TWh/year.
Starting now, until 2025, EU has the opportunity to save 12 TWh/year and avoid 4 MTonnes CO2 if renovation of old transformers is carried out using efficient ones (instead of conventional ones).
The engagement on energy efficiency is also a matter of electricity networks regulators. The current models don't allow for fully efficient investments. A long term signal is required.
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By Fernando Nuno / Published on Mon, 2009-04-27 17:15
The Energy Efficiency Action Plan has set an indicative goal of reducing energy consumption by 20% by 2020. It suggests several initiatives to improve energy efficiency in the coming years. Network loss reduction in the power systems is one of these initiatives. This issue was discussed in the recent consultation paper “Treatment of Losses by Network Operators” published by the European Regulators Group for Electricity and Gas (ERGEG).
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By Angelo Baggini / Published on Thu, 2009-01-08 10:00
Year: 2005
Policy Status: In force
In May 2005, following the Government's Energy Efficiency Strategy, a list of commitments was negotiated between both industry and government.
The Minister for Energy and Minerals, together with the CEOs from 24 major energy users and seven industry associations, signed the Energy Efficiency Accord, voluntarily committing themselves to individually and collaboratively work to implement the government target for energy savings.
Within a framework of eight strategic goals based on the three cornerstones of sustainability, the strategy targets a 15% reduction in final energy demand for the industrial sector by 2015, and a 12% improvement in energy efficiency for the country as a whole by the same date. This target is expressed as a percentage reduction against the projected national energy usage in 2015.
Industry agrees to:
- Promote the development of sector specific strategies and targets that contribute to the achievement of the overall energy efficiency
- Promote the use of Demand Side Management contracts concluded with energy suppliers
- Develop common reporting requirements for energy usage from all energy sources
- Define industry-specific projected energy use in the future, based on Business-asusual (BAU) growth expectations
- Use 2000 as the baseline year against which performance will be measured
- Establish methodologies allowing for the baseline quantification for energy use/intensity various sub sectors, and to take into account the need to measure specific energy intensity rather than absolute energy use in order to promote industrial growth whilst achieving energy efficiency and recognising the energy conservation measures already in use in some sub sectors
- Establish methodologies to take into account increased production, for the pursuit of improved energy efficiency not to hamper industrial growth
- Develop a generic energy auditing protocol that can be adapted for use by the individual sector and company signatories
- Where appropriate, exploit opportunities presented by energy efficiency projects to develop CDM projects
The commitment was reinforced when seven more leaders from companies and business associations joined the initiative and signed the agreement in 2006, with three more signatories joining in 2007.
An Energy Efficiency Technical Committee (EETC) was established to implement the Accord, and the National Business Initiative (NBI) acts as Secretariat to the Technical Committee.
It has developed measurement and verification guidelines, executive guides, an energy management performance matrix, reporting guidelines, and has conducted case studies.
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By Sergio Ferreira / Published on Thu, 2008-12-04 11:46
The European Commission has made public a voluntary Code of Conduct for operating an energy efficient data centre. The package includes guidelines, recommendations and an inventory of good practices that could reduce energy usage by up to 20%.
Data Centres have consumed an estimated 56 TWh in Western Europe during 2007 - comparable to the electricity production of Greece (EuroStat Data 2004). This amount is projected to increase to 104 TWh per year by 2020 if no actions are taken.
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By Angelo Baggini / Published on Sun, 2008-08-10 09:00
Year: 2005
Policy Status: In force
Funded by the German government, the German Coal Aid Revolving Fund (GCARF) started in 1991 with an original target to provide financing for the private sector to support energy efficiency investments and reduce pollution.
The Fund is administered by the Hungarian Credit Bank. Its scope has been expanded to include municipalities.
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By Angelo Baggini / Published on Wed, 2008-08-06 09:00
Year: 2006
Policy Status: Superseded
At the end of 2005, the majority of the Finnish government's voluntary energy efficiency agreements were due to expire. Based on evaluation of the agreement scheme and feedback received from the field, parties to each of the agreements elected to extend them all by two years.
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By Angelo Baggini / Published on Mon, 2008-08-04 09:00
Year: 2007
Policy Status: Superseded
On 19 January 2007, the Danish government released a policy statement, "A Visionary Danish Energy Policy 2025", which contains proposals for the cost effective fulfilment of overall energy policy objectives for security of supply, environmental impact and competitiveness. The initiatives in the proposal combine political regulation and market mechanisms.
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By Angelo Baggini / Published on Sun, 2008-08-03 09:00
Year: 2006
Policy Status: In force
In a report presented to the Finnish Parliament in Spring 2006, Finland's Ministry of Trade and Industry recommended the extension of federal subsidies for energy audits and analyses. Industries and installations participating in the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme will continue to enjoy access to such subsidies, as will installations refraining from participation.
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By Angelo Baggini / Published on Fri, 2008-07-25 09:00
Year: 2005
Policy Status: In force
Published in June 2005, the Energy Saving Action Plan establishes a framework for efficient energy conservation until 2013. As outlined in the plan, the Danish government aims for verifiable energy savings corresponding to an average of 7.5 PJ per year over the period 2006-2013.
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By Angelo Baggini / Published on Mon, 2008-06-23 09:00
Year: 2006
Policy Status: In force
In January 2006, Austria's federal and state governments announced a programme to reduce the climate impacts of housing. Under the deal, residential buildings must clearly exceed regulatory standards to qualify for state funding. The agreement includes an initial insulation standard of 65kWh per square metre, falling to 25-45 kWh/m2 by 2010. It also introduces new incentives for use of renewable heating systems.
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By Hans De Keulenaer / Published on Thu, 2008-06-05 13:26
The SEEDT project, a cooperation between energy agencies, institutes, electrical utilities, transformer manufacturers and academic institutes, presents its new selection guide for energy efficient distribution transformers (EEDT).
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By Hans Nilsson / Published on Mon, 2008-06-02 05:00
Why is the price of oil rocketing and how far can it rise? The Economist says that, in the search for scapegoats, there will be many candidates, but the most likely explanation is that there is a shortage in refining capacity and the process to find and exploit new sources is a long and expensive one. Others support this explanation, but is this all there is to it? Finding a scapegoat might be tempting, but how do we get a grip on the problem - wrestling in oil?
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