Globally, heating and cooling accounts for approximately half of all energy consumption. Most of the heating and cooling is still generated from fossil fuels. To fulfil the EU’s climate and energy goals, the heating and cooling sector must rapidly decarbonise.
Renewable heating and cooling technologies are safe, clean, efficient and increasingly cost-competitive. Solar thermal, geothermal, bioenergy and ambient and excess heat recovery can be used to supply heat to both buildings and industry via efficient district heating and cooling networks or as stand-alone solutions. These thermal energy sources, complemented with renewable electricity, are the backbone of a radically new, user-oriented, carbon-neutral, efficient, reliable, and flexible energy system.
Such a system will harvest locally available renewable energy sources providing considerable employment and economic benefits to the local economies and the European Union and at the same time involve end users and counteract energy poverty.
Description
The Renewable Heating and Cooling (RHC) Focus group will work towards the goal of reducing fossil fuels to zero by 2050. Bringing together investors, city stakeholders and technology suppliers, the RHC Focus group will drive the provision of 100% RHC in European cities, districts and buildings.
Objectives
The goal of the Focus group is to actively work on a commonly identified challenge or gap related to the green and just transition in European cities and towns. Therefore, the Renewable Heating and Cooling Focus Group is set out for the achievement of:
- Decarbonisation projects of heating and cooling in European cities
- Higher awareness and uptake of key innovative renewable heating and cooling sources and technologies
- Increased investments in concrete renewable heating and cooling projects
- Exchange of success stories, knowledge and best practices on renewable heating and cooling between key stakeholder groups
- Increased awareness of sustainable finance and funding schemes for renewable energy projects
Approach
The Focus Group will meet on a half-yearly basis. The group will also meet on an ad-hoc basis, if needed, to discuss specific matters. Members will also be briefed on development by e-mail and invited to relevant meetings and events.
The activities will include:
- Stakeholders' engagement,
- Supporting project owners and cities in their search for financing,
- Contribution to a solution booklet,
- Public webinars for cities,
- Internal focus group meetings
Participants – who should join?
Organisations with experience in and/or ambition for the decarbonisation and improvement of the heating and cooling sector in European cities;
- City councils, Regional councils, National ministries
- Energy agencies, utilities
- Relevant organisations in the industry
- Experts, academia
- Investors
Co-Chair of the Focus Group
Gabriele Pesce, Euroheat & Power