EPEE launches #CountOnCooling campaign

EPEE, the European Partnership for Energy and the Environment, launched its landmark campaign #CountOnCooling by hosting a webinar addressing sustainable cooling and how it can enable decarbonisation and deliver on the European Green Deal (EGD). Half of the total final energy consumption in Europe is used for heating and cooling. Therefore – if Europe is to take its Green Deal ambitions seriously – decarbonising heating and cooling must be a top priority and sustainable cooling can be a catalyst to achieve this goal.

Andrea Voigt, EPEE Director General, said: “We would have wished for a better moment to launch our #CountOnCooling campaign as clearly, in the middle of this unprecedented health crisis, the first priority needs to be with the affected individuals, families and communities. We decided to move forward nevertheless, because we believe it’s important not to lose sight of the climate change challenge which will remain a global threat. With the European Green Deal, we have an ambitious goal and our sector is part of the solution. It’s a positive message and a call to action. That’s what we want to show.”

Today’s webinar was an opportunity to showcase the key steps to achieve sustainable cooling, which include: optimising cooling needs, improving energy efficiency, mitigating the climate impact of refrigerants, shifting towards renewable energies, addressing the investment costs for higher efficiency solutions and ensuring an integrated approach to cooling and heating.

“Taking an integrated approach, based on new business models, plays a crucial role in achieving decarbonisation and cooling can make an important contribution. For example, district cooling can be a vital, hidden infrastructure at the core of our cities. Local authorities, businesses, governments need to work together in order to accelerate the development of such solutions, triggering a zero-carbon future” said Olivier Biancarelli, Executive Vice President, Engie & CEO of Tractebel.

Speaking at the webinar, Roland Roesch, Deputy Director of the Innovation and Technology Center (IITC) of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), added: “Sustainable cooling can help Europe achieve carbon neutrality by boosting energy efficiency as well as the necessary shift to renewable energies. If taken seriously, it will help Europe reach its renewables objectives whilst also decarbonising the heating sector.”

Voigt concluded: “Our campaign is showcasing that technologies are available today, and the cooling industry is continuing to innovate. There is no EU Green Deal without sustainable cooling – which is why we count on cooling – #CountOnCooling."

EPEE’s approach to sustainable cooling can be viewed as a video here and read here. To find out more please visit countoncooling.eu.