Buildings will be critical in delivering an ambitious European Green Deal and putting Europe on a sustainable recovery path after the COVID-19 crisis. Commenting on today’s Renovation Wave publication, Hans Korteweg, COGEN Europe Managing Director, said: “No single solution will be sufficient to tackle the enormous challenge of decarbonizing buildings. Energy efficiency, renewable energy, clean electrification, high efficiency cogeneration and district heating, all have a role to play. Europe must step up the ambition and implementation for more efficient, resilient, integrated, cleaner and affordable energy in buildings.”
The Renovation Wave presents significant opportunities to re-launch the EU economy, help Europe meet its Paris Agreement commitments, bring clean air to citizens and create healthier and more comfortable environments to live in. Energy efficiency and local integrated planning, unlocking the benefits of cogeneration, should be the drivers of the Renovation Wave.
Hans Korteweg adds: “Many cities and households rely on cogeneration to ensure reliable, efficient and affordable heat and power for their buildings. COGEN Europe welcomes the Renovation Wave focus on energy efficiency in heating and cooling. By taking an integrated approach at district level, as promoted in the Renovation Wave, policymakers should better account for the benefits of cogeneration in terms of grid stability, affordability and system level efficiency.”
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Cogeneration, in or near buildings, is uniquely placed to enable an ambitious Renovation Wave, as part of a cost-effective, integrated and customer-centered mix of buildings solutions. “Our sector is ready to deliver on the high climate and energy ambitions. We advocate for a stable and consistent policy framework to support the uptake of and create a level-playing field between different decarbonization solutions for buildings”, write COGEN Europe in a position paper available HERE.