Newsroom - Count on Cooling - Page 5

11Dec

PRESS RELEASE: European Green Deal

EPEE welcomes the European Green Deal – an opportunity to promote sustainable cooling as an enabler to carbon neutrality

The European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE), the voice of the cooling industry in Europe, welcomes the communication on the European Green Deal (EGD) published today by the European Commission. Sustainable cooling provides a major opportunity to enable carbon neutrality in Europe by combining energy efficiency and a shift to renewable energies, thereby maximising the benefits of cooling whilst creating the smallest footprint in terms of greenhouse gas emissions and reducing electrical peak demand.

Andrea Voigt, EPEE Director General, said: “The demand for cooling will grow significantly over the coming decades, and we take our responsibility very seriously. Cooling is indispensable for our society, and we have the solutions to contribute effectively to reach carbon neutrality and help the EU achieve its climate and energy goals. Cooling is part of the solution, and its potential needs to be better recognised!  We will therefore work closely with the Commission to foster the sustainable cooling approach within the upcoming actions undertaken as part of the EGD.”

Cooling provides a variety of benefits to consumers and society which are taken for granted. For instance in homes, at workplaces, in shopping malls, datacentres, for the cooling of products and reduction of food loss., As a matter of fact, demand for cooling is expected to grow significantly in the coming decades, triggered mainly by increasing temperatures and global societal trends such as urbanisation and digitalisation. The growth in the use of cooling could lead to increased energy consumption, and therefore to higher CO2 emissions, and could place significant burdens on the electricity grid. These negative effects can be avoided with a sustainable cooling approach, as described in EPEE’s recently published A five-step approach to deliver sustainable cooling. The EPEE White Paper outlines five steps which would result in optimising cooling demand, increasing the energy efficiency of cooling systems, and enabling a shift towards renewable energy sources by integrating the cooling sector into the power generation system.

Numerous solutions for sustainable cooling already exist, but their broad deployment is hindered by silo thinking between the demand and supply side, low political and market awareness about the benefits of energy efficient and integrated solutions, and challenges to attract, retain and upskill professionals. Voigt added: “Coordinated actions are urgently needed to address barriers to the uptake of sustainable cooling. Cooling needs to be addressed with an integrated approach, which is the heart of the EGD. In that respect, the Green Deal is a golden opportunity to leverage the potential of sustainable cooling and deliver on its promise.”        

EPEE sent a letter last week to Executive Vice-President Timmermans and Commissioner Simson, calling for an EGD that promotes sustainable cooling and helps overcome the barriers to its uptake. EPEE’s White Paper to deliver sustainable cooling can be downloaded at countoncooling.eu.

END

***

The European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE) represents the refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pump industry in Europe. Founded in the year 2000, EPEE’s membership is composed of over 50 member companies as well as national and international associations from three continents (Europe, North America, Asia).

With manufacturing sites and research and development facilities across the EU, which innovate for the global market, EPEE member companies realize a turnover of over 30 billion Euros, employ more than 200,000 people in Europe and also create indirect employment through a vast network of small and medium-sized enterprises such as contractors who install, service and maintain equipment.

As an expert association, EPEE is supporting safe, environmentally and economically viable technologies with the objective of promoting a better understanding of the sector in the EU and contributing to the development of effective European policies. Please see our website (http://www.epeeglobal.org) for further information.

As part of the activities EPEE and its members are undertaking to raise awareness on sustainable cooling, EPEE will launch a broader #CountOnCooling campaign. The EPEE White Paper “Count on Cooling: A five-step approach to deliver sustainable cooling” examines the crucial role of cooling in the 21st century.

For any further question, please contact the EPEE Secretariat (secretariat@epeeglobal.org) and visit our website at www.epeeglobal.org.

Read More
20Nov

Consumers should know the most efficient way to heat their homes

There is an overwhelming consensus, across industries, that efficient and sustainable heating & cooling solutions and technologies are readily available to meet the Paris Agreement’s goal of keeping a global temperature rise this century well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit the temperature increase even further to 1.5 °C. There is no lack of technological innovation, but these products need to be scaled up and deployed to reach the people. EPEE, representing the refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pump industry in Europe, is committed to provide and promote sustainable solutions that are fit for the future, demonstrating the industry’s contribution to carbon neutrality.

As the European Commission is considering the introduction of a single energy label for air-conditioning heat pumps up to 12 kW and local space heaters, EPEE strongly supports this proposal that would foster the uptake of renewable and energy efficient solutions and help consumers easily compare and choose home heating technologies.

Separate labels for space heaters and heat pumps do not make sense. They all have the same purpose – heating of one or more rooms in residential and commercial buildings – and a single label would ensure comparability between different solutions. The same principle has already been applied for the existing energy label for heat pumps and boilers and sent a very positive and strong signal to citizens and industry in Europe.

The adoption of a single energy label for heat pumps and local space heaters would represent a major milestone towards the achievement of the EU climate and energy targets, improving energy efficiency and promoting the use of renewables.

Read More
07Nov

PRESS RELEASE: EPEE committed to work together with the UNEP to raise awareness on sustainable cooling

During the United Nation’s 31st Meeting of the Parties (MoP), taking place this week in Rome, the European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE), the voice of the refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pump industry in Europe, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).
Andrea Voigt, EPEE Director General, said: “We are very proud to sign this Memorandum of Understanding with UNEP as it is a formal recognition of our excellent cooperation over the past years. Joint projects include raising awareness and providing pragmatic solutions such as modeling programs and analytical tools to assist developing countries in reaching the objectives of the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol while improving energy efficiency. In a nutshell: the industry experience in the EU can be shared in a useful way to help mitigate the climate impact of the sector and contribute to protect the environment.”
In line with raising awareness on sustainable cooling, EPEE also published its white paper “Count on Cooling: A five- step approach to deliver sustainable cooling” during the 31st MoP. EPEE and its members are committed to provide and promote sustainable solutions that are fit for the future, demonstrating the industry’s value by contributing to carbon neutrality, and helping the EU to achieve its Paris Agreement goal.

EPEE’s White Paper to deliver sustainable cooling can be downloaded here.

Download the press release

Read More
05Nov

PRESS RELEASE: How cooling can deliver on carbon neutrality and help avoid a climate crisis – #CountOnCooling

Today, the European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE), the voice of the heating and cooling industry in Europe, publishes its white paper “Count on Cooling: A five-step approach to deliver sustainable cooling” during the UN’s 31st Meeting of the Parties taking place this week in Rome. This white paper on sustainable cooling is being presented for the first time during a session hosted by EPEE together with UNEP OzonAction. EPEE and its members are committed to provide and promote sustainable solutions that are fit for the future, demonstrating the industry’s value by contributing to carbon neutrality, and helping the EU to achieve its Paris Agreement goal.

The use of cooling is expected to grow significantly in the coming decades triggered by a warming climate and global trends such as increasing urbanisation. Cooling delivers substantial benefits in many respects, contributing to health, fresh and safe food, productivity and thermal comfort. It is therefore a crucial factor to achieve several sustainable development goals such as good health (SDG3), zero hunger (SDG2), economic growth (SDG8), sustainable cities (SDG11), etc..
On this occasion, Andrea Voigt, EPEE’s Director General, stated: “Growth in the use of cooling could lead to increased energy consumption with associated greenhouse gas emissions and place significant burden on the electricity grid. But there are numerous solutions available to address these impacts, maximizing the benefits of cooling whilst minimising greenhouse gas emissions and electrical peak demand.”
EPEE’s White Paper, introduces a 5-step approach to deliver sustainable cooling; these are to (1) optimise the need for cooling, (2) improve the energy and resource efficiency of cooling, (3) mitigate the climate impact of refrigerants, (4) address the investment cost for higher efficiency solutions, (5) shift to renewable energy sources with an integrated approach to cooling and heating of individual buildings or whole cities. It describes risks and opportunities, including examples of how the EU policy framework has already taken steps forward and an analysis of the remaining challenges.
Voigt concluded: “It’s not a lack of innovation or a question of available technology. It’s a question of raising awareness on what needs to be done to deliver sustainable cooling. This means for example fully implementing and enforcing the EU’s Clean Energy Package as well as explicitly including cooling in national energy and climate plans and long-term strategies. Cooling provides a true opportunity to contribute to a carbon neutral Europe, but its potential has not been fully recognised yet. It’s time to change this perception and industry stands ready to deliver!”
EPEE’s White Paper to deliver sustainable cooling can be downloaded on countoncooling.eu. A new website dedicated to #CountOnCooling has been created and will be further completed with practical case studies and more information on the sector’s crucial role to contribute to carbon neutrality in Europe and to help avoid a global climate crisis. Download the press release

Read More
27Sep

PRESS RELEASE: On the way to carbon neutrality, cooling is truly at the forefront of global & EU solutions: #Count on Cooling

Recent developments on European and international level showcase that cooling is no longer a “forgotten” sector on the way towards carbon neutrality. With demand set to grow in the coming decades, and being essential for health, fresh and safe food, through to comfort and well-being, cooling contributes to many Sustainable Development Goals. EPEE, the voice of the heating and cooling industry in Europe, is committed to provide and promote sustainable solutions that are fit for the future, demonstrating the industry’s value to contribute to carbon neutrality.

Just this week at the UN Climate Action Summit, EPEE – along with the activities of the recently launched UN Environment Programme’s Cool Coalition – published a pledge on the cooling industry’s commitments on sustainable cooling. A few days later, at the EU’s Research and Innovation Days in Brussels, the association had once again the opportunity to emphasize its message. On this occasion Andrea Voigt, EPEE’s Director General, stated: “Cooling does not suffer from a lack of innovation or sustainable technologies. There are many efficient and sustainable solutions readily available that are only waiting to be scaled up and deployed. They are not just limited to the product level but are based on an integrated approach to cooling and heating in individual buildings up to entire cities. Our toolbox includes many solutions from heat recovery, thermal energy and heat pumps through to demand side flexibility providing stability to the grid as we move to renewable energy, and many more.”

Voigt added: “Whether it was at the Climate Summit in New York or at the EU’s R&I Days in Brussels, there was no doubt that this message, our message, is not an isolated one: there is an overwhelming consensus, across industries, that solutions and technologies are generally available to meet the 1.5°C target. It’s not a question of technological innovation. It’s a question of reaching the people. The gap between science, policy and people is huge and needs to be closed as a matter of urgency.”

As part of the activities EPEE members are undertaking to bridge this gap, EPEE will start a broader #CountOnCooling campaign including a White Paper, describing important steps to deliver sustainable cooling. This White Paper, which is planned to be officially launched at the 31st Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol in Rome, beginning of November, introduces a 5-step approach to (1) optimise the need for cooling, (2) improve the energy and resource efficiency of cooling equipment, (3) mitigate the climate impact of refrigerants, (4) address the investment cost for higher efficiency solutions, and (5) shift to renewable energy sources with an integrated approach.

The European Partnership for Energy and the Environment (EPEE) was founded in 2000, is headquartered in Brussels and is the voice of the refrigeration, air-conditioning and heat pump industry in Europe, currently representing 48 members from three continents – Asia, Europe and North America. EPEE members directly employ over 200,000 people and realise over 30 billion euros in annual turnover in the EU. EPEE member companies operate manufacturing sites and research and development facilities across the EU, which are leading innovation efforts in the global market.

END

***

Read More