24 June 2015
EU Sustainable Energy Week Celebrates Clean and Efficient Energy Systems
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With over 2,700 participants, more than 670 Sustainable Energy Days and side events Europe-wide, and a policy conference, EU Sustainable Energy Week 2015 highlighted the need for efficient use of energy, expansion of renewable energy and, in the words of International Energy Agency (IEA) Chief Economist Fatih Birol, "a peaceful divorce between economic growth and emissions."

sustainableenergyweek201519 June 2015: With over 2,700 participants, more than 670 Sustainable Energy Days and side events Europe-wide, and a policy conference, EU Sustainable Energy Week 2015 highlighted the need for efficient use of energy, expansion of renewable energy and, in the words of International Energy Agency (IEA) Chief Economist Fatih Birol, “a peaceful divorce between economic growth and emissions.”

Held on 15-19 June 2015, in Brussels, Belgium, the Week included sessions covering such themes as: an investment framework for energy efficiency; distributed generation and self-consumption; cities and citizens in the EU Energy Union; women in renewable energy; and governance systems for the 2030 renewable energy targets. Speakers included key European policymakers such as EU Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cañete, who highlighted the great potential for savings from energy-efficient buildings, appliances and transport in his opening remarks.

On 16 June 2015, the EU Sustainable Energy Europe Awards were presented to projects that are unique, innovative and consumer-empowering. The Desendolla’t Project, an energy efficiency project in Spain, won for generating a 21% reduction in energy use and €281,000 in cost savings in 27 schools over two years. Co-operative Energy won an award for its User Chooser tool, which allows consumers to choose both the type (i.e. solar or wind) and source (i.e. a specific wind farm) of energy they want to consume in the UK. Another award was presented to EcoGator, an app developed in Austria that scans a product’s energy efficiency label and rates it compared to similar products, with the aim of saving a total of 1.95 terawatt hours (TWh) by 2020.

The Week also featured a Networking Village with exhibitions, meeting stands, refreshments and a speakers’ corner, all designed to encourage new contacts, strengthen existing relationships, and share goals and achievements. [EU Sustainable Energy Week Website] [EU Sustainable Energy Week Event Webpage] [European Commission Press Release] [Build Up Press Release]


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