Press Release EGC 2007 13 of June 2007: Geothermal energy could be in the future one of the main contributors mainly for heating and cooling but also for the production of electricity in Europe ! You can find press release here
08.06.07
EGEC published new brochure about the presentation of European Geothermal
energy Council .The presentation could be found
here.
Next EGEC board meeting to be held on May 31, 2007, in Unterhaching, Germany. The members of the board of EGEC will use the opportunity of the European Geothermal Congress 2007 in Unterhaching near Munich to hold the next board meeting in the town hall of Unterhaching, starting at 15:30 on 31.5.2007. EGEC members are welcome to forward their questions, suggestions and requests to the board for that meeting; the best way is to send an email to info@egec.org
The European Energy Forum (EEF) on May 8, 2007, organised a dinner debate at the European Parliament, with sponsoring by EREC. The topic was: "Implementing 20% renewable energy by 2020 - what is needed to make it happen?". About 150 persons, among them notably 20 MEPs, attended the
debate.
The keynote speaker of the evening was Dr. Winfried Hoffmann, the president of the European Photovoltaic Industry Association (EPIA) and one of the directors of EREC. On behalf of EGEC, Pierre Ungemach attended the event; he made a statement during the debate: "In certain regions, geothermal energy can contribute to the production of RES electricity. And we have to underline the large potential of geothermal heat pumps for heating and cooling. Geothermal energy has a great future in Europe".
More info on the event, incl. the slides from the keynote speach for downlad, can be found here.
EGEC has conducted its first geothermal event at an international trade fair, a short report (pdf) can be found here.
The full documentation with the different presentations is available as pdf-files, for download from the member´s corner of the EGEC website http://www.egec.org, or through a direct link which is available to the conference participants (if you are a conference participants and do not have received the link yet, please contact EGEC at info@egec.org ).
The call for proposals 2007 of IEEA is now online. You can find the English version (French and German to follow) on the IEEA website.
Projects including geothermal energy may be submitted mainly in the sections ALTENER and Integrated Initiatives. Just for clarification: The IEEA support is not intended for technological R&D, but for studies and actions to remove barriers to renewable energy applications, and to foster uptake and growth of renewable energies. Training, promotion, education are possible target actions. Deadline is September 28, 2007, so there is ample time to set up good projects!
Energy Globe Awards 2006 presented in Brussels on April 10 and 11, 2007; EGEC-member Romania Geoexchange Society and the Renewable Energy House are among the winners! Read more here (pdf)
Further info on the award at http://www.energyglobe.info
ALTENER Work Programme for 2007 is published - calls to follow soon! The Intelligent Energy Europe Agency (IEEA) has just published the new work programme for the year 2007. Within the ALTENER program, projects to promote, facilitate and encourage the use of renewable energies will be supported; or as the work programme states:
– to foster energy efficiency and the rational use of energy resources;
– to promote new and renewable energy sources and to support energy diversification;
- to promote energy efficiency and the use of new and renewable energy sources in transport.
As was already announced preliminary in EGEC newsletter #4, projects for geothermal energy are eligible both in the sectors of electricity and of heating/cooling. The work programme 2007 is for download here.
The call for proposals, with more info on priorities and procedures, will be issued within the next days; EGEC will inform you about the release, and where to find the documents.
The spring council of the European Union has adopted the Action Plan "Energy Policy for Europe" for the years 2007-2009. The plan calls for a 20 % share of renewable energies in the overall energy supply of the European Union, the goal which EGEC has been calling for together with EREC and the partner associations in Renewable Energy. Sectorial goals
(i.e. for electricity, transport and heating/cooling) have not been adopted for the EU at large, but shall be implemented on the level of the Member States.
See here a cutout from the official communication of the presidency of EU with the relevant pages, and highlighting by EGEC.
The next tasks now are to follow the development of the plan for the allocation of individual binding targets for the Member States, for which the Commission will submit a proposal in early autumn this year, and to follow the implementation and the allocation to the sectors within the Member States. For this last task, EGEC needs the help of the relevant national associations in the geothermal sector; in a joint effort, and backed by the EU decision, we should be able to ensure a satisfactory share and a good future for geothermal energy use!
EU citizens in favour of Renewable Energies: According to the recent EUROBAROMETER energy survey, 83% of citizens in the member states agree that the EU sets a minimum percentage of the energy used in each Member State that should come from renewable sources.
moreThe "Brussels Declaration" from the European Renewable Energy Policy Conference 2007 now is available for download as pdf here
These conclusions from the Conference were presented at the closing session by the facilitator Mr. Svend Auken as the Brussels Declaration on the New Role of Renewable Energy Sources for a Sustainable, Secure and Competitive Energy Future for Europe.
The video documentation of the Renewable Energy Policy Conference is now online through Managenergy TV:
day 1 (29.1.2001): Opening, environmental issues, and competitiveness of RES
day 2 (30.1.2001): Renewable Energies roadmaps, for electricity, heating & cooling, and transport
day 3 (31.1.2001): Renewable Energies in a global perspective
The conference was jointly organised by EREC (European Renewable Energy Council) and the German Ministry of Environment, Nature Protection and Nuclear Safety (BMU), and held in the Flagey building in Brussels, January 2007."
8 Mtoe in 2020 of Geothermal Heating and Cooling : EGEC publishes its Geothermal Heating & Cooling Action Plan for Europe. The document is for download here
" Councils of relevant EU Ministers did meet in preparation of the EU spring summit in March:
Feb. 15, 2007: Council of Energy Ministers wants to have increased share of renewables, but is against binding targets other than for biofuels - see the relevant document
Feb. 20, 2007: Council of Environment Ministers wants at least 20% CO2 reduction by 2020, and renewable energies are on pillar - - see the relevant document "
" Invitation to RENEXPO Budapest 2007 online: EGEC is co-organising, together with REECO Hungary kft., a geothermal event during the conference alongside RENEXPO Budapest, on April 20, 2007. Details of the exhibiton and the conference can be found here.
EGEC members are eligible to a reduced participation fee of 70 Euro.
This applies only to direct members of EGEC, and not to members of EGEC member organisations (only the regular dedicated EGEC delegates of member association are eligible). Please have a look at the geothermal conference program directly here and consider your participation. Geothermal companies are also invited to exhibit their products and services at RENEXPO Budapest 2007, please contact REECO. See you in Budapest in April! "
The Swiss Geothermal Association issues a statement concerning the future use of deep geothermal enery. Read the press release here in an English translation, and see here the original Germany
version.
„ EGEC asks the Council (Foreign Affairs on 22 January; Energy on 15 February; Competitiveness on 19 February; and Environment on 20 February ) and the European Parliament to add sectoral targets and notably a Directive on heating and cooling, to the energy/climate package published by the European Commission on 10/01/2007 and to the EC call for “a target for renewables in order to achieve at least 20% of renewables in primary energy by 2020. “
read more : Energy_package (pdf) and http://ec.europa.eu/energy/energy_policy/index_en.htm
7th Research Framework Programme finally adopted:
EGEC welcomes the FP7 agreement reached between the European Parliament, Council and Commission - however, renewable energies and energy efficiency still far behind nuclear in funding (read more: download pdf)
The European Parliament wants clear targets for future EU energy policy.
By 2020, the EU should reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 30% and produce 25% of its primary energy through renewables, according to a report adopted by the European Parliament on 14 December 2006: download (pdf)
A press release from EREC, the European Renewable Energy Council, on that topic: download (pdf)
New fees and fee structure of EGEC will be valid from Januar 2007 on, as decided at the Annual General Meeting on November 24, 2006: Only one fee for all countries, for companies dependant upon turnover, see more here (download pdf)
For most members, the annual feels will be considerably lower. The goal of the board is to encourage membership, in order to increase the number of members.
Press release of Swiss Geothermal Society concerning earthquake in Basel
here for download (pdf)
Declaration “European Regions for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy
Sources” signed on Dec. 7, 2006, in Brussels
Renewable energies have strong allies in the European regions. A declaration on energy efficiency and renewable energy was signed on December 7, 2006, at a round table organised in Brussels by the Committee of the Regions, the European Federation of Regional Energy and Environment Agencies and the Assembly of European Regions. Read more (.pdf)
The full text and pledges can be found at:
http://www.fedarene.org/publications/Projects/Contrat/Res-e-Regions/Declaration.htm )
The position of the regions fit perfectly with the activities EGEC currently is doing in order to plant geothermal energy in regional plans.
The EU must take the opportunity today to adopt with EU regions, Operational Programmes 2007-2013 with ambitious targets for the renewables. The lack of this activity has recently been pointed out by some NGOs:
downloadEGEC underlines that these financial supports will permit to really develop the geothermal heating and
cooling market all over Europe. Big opportunities are represented by the geothermal heat pump sector and the renovation of district heating. Notably, for heat distribution, Eastern European countries may have an advantage due to existing networks : they could use these structural funds to adapt their heating system into an efficient renewable way.
EP in favour of clear targets for Renewable Energies:
The relevant European Parliament´s committee has voted in favour of renewable energy sources when responding to the Green paper of the European Commission. Read more in the presse release from EREC:
downloadEGEC Geothermal Workshop and Annual General Meeting will be held at the Renewable Energy House, 63-65 Rue d´Arlon, Brussels, on Friday, November 24, 2006.
We invite the members and friends of EGEC, and everybody who is interested in advancing geothermal energy in Europe, to a small workshop preceeding the annual general meeting.
See here for details.
Please register by sending email to info@egec.org or by fax to +32 2 400 1010 , as seats are limited and priority is given to EGEC members.
The agenda for the annual general meeting is for download in the member´s corner, and has been sent by post and email.
“EGEC´s response to the EC Public consultation exercise on the Promotion of Heating and Cooling from Renewable Energies
The public
consultation of the European Commission on a directive on RES heating and
cooling ended 06/10/2006.
The EGEC input to that consultation can be found in the member’s section of
the EGEC homepage.
The main message is :
· EGEC welcomes the intention and initiative of the European Commission to show the path towards a promotion of heating and cooling from renewable energy sources.
· EGEC is committing itself to actively support a transition into an energy economy which is fair to all EU citizens, provides a level playing field for all actors on the EU scene, and aims at the goals of efficiency, sustainability, security and conservation of the local and world-wide environment.
· EGEC calls for strong and consistent action on the European level to promote renewable heating and cooling and ask the EU institutions to adopt a RES-H Directive.
· Motivation for action at EU level Experience has shown that, without an EU policy framework, RES-H develops well only in a few Member States, and that this is not caused by the distribution of natural resources. If efforts to promote renewable heating and cooling will not take place in a coordinated way throughout the Union, the EU will miss its overall targets on renewables and will continue to dissipate precious fossil sources and electricity that could be used for other purposes.
May 30 - June 1, 2007, EGC 2007 will provide a platform for exchange in science, technology and economy on the geothermal sector. The Congress will be held in the area of Munich, Germany, and will include the EGEC Business Seminar 2007. See more under: www.egc2007.de
Link:
http://europa.eu/rapid/pressReleasesAction.do?reference=IP/06/1
329&format=HTML&aged=0&language=EN&guiLanguage=en
With this 220-Mio-Euro-programme, co-financing of (sustainable) energy projects in the African-Caribbean area can be granted. A call for proposals has been opened to allocate 198 Mio Euro
of that programme; the call closing data is Sep. 19, 2006. Please find more info and the call documents under: http://ec.europa.eu/comm/europeaid/projects/energy/index_en.htm
Key points for geothermal projects that might be considered for APC-EC-EF"EU has launched the 2006call of the Intelligent Energy Europe programme today.
The full information can be found here.
Within the call (text as pdf for download here), geothermal energy actions would fit into the ALTENER programme, key actions 5 and 6 (Renewables for electric power and for heat, respectively; this are actions more for statistical, legal and policy issues), into key action 7 under the aspect of heat pumps, and geothermal technologies would fit well into the horizontal key action 1 “Sustainable Energy Communities”. Please consider your actions, and have good luck with good applications!
1st
GROUNDHIT workshop, 18.5.2006, Bruxelles
GtV and EGEC on May 18, 2006 jointly have hosted the 1st
dissemination workshop in the GROUNDHIT project supported by DG TREN of the
European Commission. GROUNDHIT has the goal to develop GROUND source
heat pumps of HI Technology, which means high efficiency and
easy installation of the borehole heat exchangers. The event was held in the
Renewable Energy House in Brussels, and attended by ca. 40 energy
specialists and members of the GROUNDHIT project team. The presentations can
be downloaded using the following links:
www.groundhit.eu
At a dinner debate of the European Energy Forum EEF in the European Parliament in Brussels, the European Renewable Energy Council EREC presented its position on the security of energy supply in Europe, as a joint opinion of the renewable energy associations (including EGEC for the geothermal field); see here (link) for the full text.
The lively discussion, following the initial presentation by EREC president Arthouros Zervos, was chaired in a fair and calm way by EEF president Giles Chichester MEP. Both supporters (like Claude Turmes MEP) and critics of renewable energy sources had time to voice their opinions. Not in all the speeches the presentation of facts was the predominant intention, and it became clear, that their still is a lot of misconception of sustainable, renewable energies. EGEC President Burkhard Sanner took the floor twice, in order to set the twists straight which had been brought in by some "big energy" lobbyists.
In general, the debate was well worth attending, and it was a good way to start the discussion on the Green Paper issued by the Commission in March.
EGEC and IGA-EBF voice common response to the Green Paper on Energy Security. Key points are a better recognition of renewable energies, and in particular geothermal energy, not only for battling climate change, but also for enhancing security of supply by increased use of indigenous, renewable energy sources, EGEC and IGA-EBF jointly demand support for creation of a European geothermal energy technology platform.
See the full text here.
European Commission releases Green Paper on "A European Strategy for Secure, Competitive and sustainable Energy for Europe". The European Renewable Energy Associations, joined in EREC, see it as a "missed opportunity for outlining a sustainable EU energy supply". Read the EREC press relase here and the full text of the Green Paper here
download
downloadOn the last day of January 2006, the geothermal heat pump in the Renewable Energy House has been set into operation successfully. It is coupled to 4 borehole heat exchangers each 115 m deep and provides 25 kW of heat for the back building with conference room etc. The heat pump is of the Austrian brand Ochsner, the drilling was done by the Belgian company PBV, and the design is from the German specialists UBeG and EWS. More infos and photos soon.
The presence of a geothermal system in the heart of Brussels already in the construction stage has convinced MEPs and officers of the EU-Commission that geothermal energy is not only for some remote places like Iceland, but it is here to be used.
The heat pump and some of the work was sponsored, however, EGEC had to carry substantial sums to get the project going.
In order to be ready for further political and lobbying action in Brussels, we need your support for covering the cost incurred for the geothermal plant. For sponsorig opportunities, and to learn how we can make your support known to the public, please contact EGEC (e.g. under info@egec.org )
On 30.1.06 the kick-off meeting of the project GROUNDREACH was held in the Renewable Energy House. GROUNDREACH stands for "Reaching Kyoto Targets by use of Ground Souce Heat Pumps", and it unites almost 20 research institutes, companies and associations in a campaign to promote the use of geothermal heat pumps. The tow relevant associations at the European level are partners, i.e. EGEC for the geothermal side and EHPA (European Heat Pump Association) for the heat pump side, and they plan
to set up a joint European Committee on ground source heat pumps. GROUNDREACH will set up a project website soon.
In January 2006 EGEC moved its office in Brussels into the new Renewable Energy House, where all relevant associations in the Renewable Energy Sector on a European level now are residing under one roof, co-ordinated by the European Renewable Energy Council (EREC).
The new adress is:
EGEC
Renewable Energy House
63-65, rue d'Arlon
B-1040 Brussels
Belgium
The day-to-day work of EGEC in Brussels, and anyplace where relevant decision makers of the EU (and other European countries) meet, requires a secure financial basis. In the past this could be sustained in a rather modest way through membership fees and other contributions. Meanwhile EGEC, and with it the European geothermal industry, plays in the league of the professional “pressure groups” on the European level in Brussels. This is the only way how also in future success can be achieved, and a positive environment in the political and economical landscape can be created for Renewable Energies, and for geothermal energy in particular. See for some of our activities in the news section of http://www.egec.org .
EGEC needs, beside the participating geothermal associations from different countries, and beside member companies, of which some are very actively involved in EGEC since its foundation in 1998, many, many new member companies from all over Europe! Your national association may be EGEC member since a long time, however, direct influence on EGEC and direct support is only possible if companies become directly an EGEC member. I like to motivate all companies active on the geothermal sector in Europe to earnestly consider becoming an EGEC member (e.g. online through http://www.egec.org ). Europe becomes important more and more in the economic and legal framework, let this development not shape the future without you!
Dr. Burkhard Sanner, President, EGEC
[06.12.05] Renewable
Energies for Heating and Cooling:
Dinner Debate in the European Parliament in Bruxelles
A meeting of relevant persons from politics, administration and industry was
organized by EUFORES (the group of Members of Parliament interested in
renewable energies) and EREC, the European Renewable Energy Council, in the
restaurant of the European Parliament in Brussels. Mechthild Rothe, MEP from
Germany and president of EUFORES, could welcome MEPs from different parties,
officers from the European Commission, policy and energy experts, industry
representatives, and others, including former MEP Eryl McNally, one of the
key persons for support of renewable energies in the last decade. Among the
MEPs present where some key actors for renewable energy, beside Mechthild
Rothe (Germany) also Fiona Hall (UK), Peter Liese (Germany) and Claude
Turmes (Luxembourg).
more
First AnnouncementOn Nov. 21-22, 2005, EGEC was present as one of the renewable energy associations at the exhibition alongside the conference "Renewable Energies - Research in Action" organized by DG RES. We could present research-related geothermal activities, including the GROUNDHIT project (Groundhit poster and the model of the coaxial BHE from EWS). The heat pump shown was from Ochsner, as this is the type that was sponsored for the Renewable Energy House. The material, PC-Slideshow etc. covered all geothermal field, however. The response was quite good, including a chat with the Vice Director General of DG-RES, Z. Stancic, and with the head of unit for renewables in DG-RES, Wiktor Raldow.
Photo
by P. Dumas
see press release by EREC
see the Turmes report
Info and Program for download
moreNew Call for Energy Research in EU FP6 published today
The current proposal is a rather good document also for geothermal energy, but the final adoption in the plenary is not yet secured.
The report from Claude Turmes can be found for download in the member´s section of the EGEC website.
[09.06.05]
European Parliament will discuss Renewable
Heating and Cooling Directive
MEP Mechtild Rothe is rapporteur on this Initiative
Report
Mechtild Rothe, Member of the European Parliament,
announced yesterday that she will be the Rapporteur for the initiative
report of the European Parliament on Renewable Heating and Cooling, that
was proposed by herself. Ms Rothe is expected to present a draft report to
the Committee responsible for energy policy in Autumn 2005.
MEP Rothe presents her initiative at estec2005, the
2nd European Solar Thermal Energy Conference. Among the other speakers in
her session: Mr Karl Kellner of the European Commission (DG TREN) and Mr
Rainer Hinrichs-Rahlwes of the German Federal Ministry for Environment,
Nature Conservation and Reactor Safety. estec2005 takes place in Freiburg
(Germany), 21-22 June. Registration online is open until 15 June.
Mechtild Rothe is member of the European Parliament
since 1984, Vice-Chair of the SPD group (German Socialdemocrats) in the
European Parliament and President of Eufores. Mechtild Rothe called for a
EU Directive to promote Renewable Heating and Cooling (solar thermal,
bioheat, geothermal) already in May 2004 just before the last European
Parliament elections.
ESTIF (European Solar Thermal Industry Federation) and
EREC (European Renewable Energy Council) launched in April 2005 a Joint
Declaration for a European Directive to promote Renewable Heating and
Cooling. This strong call gave an outline of the possible contents of such
a Directive and was initially supported by more than 40 organisations,
representing millions of citizens and hundreds of thousands of jobs from
19 EU Member States. The number of supporters is growing steadily, as
visible on the Joint Declaration's website.
More info:
Joint Declaration for a European Directive to promote
Renewable Heating and Cooling:
www.erec-renewables.org/publications/RES_heating_cooling.htm
estec2005 - 2nd European Solar Thermal Energy
Conference: www.estec2005.org
More info on the project here:
downloadAsk EGEC for sponsoring opportunities
info@egec.org
Declaration
A workshop supported by the TAIEX tool of DG Enlargement, and organized by the Hungarian Geothermal Survey, investigated the status of the regulatory framework and the needs for improvement. The outcome is published in the "Kistelek Declaration", which can be downloaded here
The EGEC view at the Opinion Paper of the European Economic and Social Committee on Geothermal Energy: EESC/TEN-199, February 2005
here
here you can download the Opinion PaperThe 2005 Spring Council of the European Union, held on March 22/23 in Brussels, discussed some matters related to energy and climate change (see also EGEC news of 22.3.05). The need for action to reduce emissions was stated, however, concrete actions and targets were not mentioned.
The items related to energy and R&D in the official report can be found
here
For the renewable energy sector it is strange to see that the thermonuclear reactor ITER had an own item on the agenda (item IV), and a concrete timeframe for start of the construction was given. All
energies are equal, but some are more equal...
In preparation for the Spring Meeting of the European Council, the highest decision-making body within the EU, different organisations have written open letters to the current president of the European Council, Jean-Claude Juncker, the prime minister of Luxembourg, concerning the support for clean and renewable energies. Please find here the letters of a group of top NGOs, including EREC, the European Renewable Energy Council, and a letter of the European Business Council for Sustainable Energy E5:
download open letter EREC download open letter E5
A new booklet on funding opportunities inside EU has been prepared by EUCENTER, a Budapest-based agency to help companies and organisations, in particular from the new member states, to get access to EU funding. The booklet contains, beside some advertising for EUCENTER and its activities, as nice summary of the current funding soruces inside EU. It can be downloaded as a pdf-File from:
http://www.eucenter.org/e_e_funding_2005march.pdf
See short
report The EUREC/EREC brochure presented on 1.3.05 can be downloaded at:
http://www.eurec.be/FP7Priorities_Renewable_Energy.pdf The additional geothermal research list by EGEC can be downloaded
here
download (.pdf)
Registration form
moreWorkshop in Bruxelles, 3.-4.2.2005
moreBrussels
more[19.01.05]
EGEC Business Seminar 2005
The 4th EGEC Business Seminar will
take place on Wednesday, April 6, 2005, in Berlin, Germany. The topic will
be:
The European Directive on Electricity from Renewable Sources, its implication on geothermal energy use, and activities towards a directive for heat from renewable sources
We
already have confirmation from MEPs, a national MP, and a EC representative
to attend and speak in Berlin. The seminar will have 3 sessions on Policy,
Technology, and Economy/Regulations, as well as a final session with
statements and discussion.
The outcome of the seminar is destined for discussion on the European level,
and also as an input for the World Geothermal Congress 2005 in Antalya, to
be held 3 weeks later.
A detailed program will be available in the last week of January 2005.
Please block April 6, 2005, in your calendar, and prepare to attend the EGEC
business seminar 2005!
The members of the Board of EGEC will meet on February 12, 2005, in Ankara, Turkey. Main topics of the meeting will be:
· EGEC activity report for 2004
· Membership information, flyer, campaign to increase membership
· Activities towards FP7, EU directive RES-E review, renewable heat activities
· Co-operation with EREC (European Renewable Energy Council)
· Preparation progress EGEC Business seminar 2005
· EGEC participation in K4RES-H project, preparation for kick-off meeting 23.2.05
· EGEC participation in new projects
If EGEC members (and other interested parties) have further topics to be considered, information requests or suggestions to the board, please feel free to mail them in to the EGEC president at:
info@sanner-geo.de
The new Homepage of the European Geothermal Energy Council is now online