The need to customize and tailor energy solutions by region was a key theme emerging from “The Future of Alternative Energy Summit” that just wrapped in Salzbergen, Germany. The two-day series of technology briefings and panel discussions, convened by GE and held at our European Headquarters for Renewables and Wind Turbine Manufacturing, brought together a mix of business leaders, policy experts and media from across Europe to tackle the complex issue of how to help Europe achieve its ambitious energy targets and emission reduction goals despite recent setbacks. As Kenneth Backgard, from the Assembly of European regions, said at the event: “To have success and really engage the population with climate change, you have to go down to the individual level. In Scandinavia where I come from we have made a lot of progress in producing heat from waste. I was in Italy recently where there has been less development in the area but when you start to talk to people about how they will see benefits on their bill and save money they start to understand.”
Ready for inspection: Industry leaders, politicians and journalists had an opportunity to get a first hand look at GE’s next generation of wind turbines being constructed at our plant in Germany, seen above. A panel discussion included Hungarian MEP, Edit Herczog; Kenneth Backgard, Chairman of the Working Group on Climate Change and Energy for the Assembly of European Regions (AER); Dr. Cord Landsmann, Chief Financial Officer of E.On Renewables; and Jörg Fischer, Chief Financial Officer of EnviTec Biogas.
The importance of a regional approach, with communities finding their own local responses to the climate change challenge, was echoed by Hungarian MEP, Dr Edit Herczog, who said that while broad legislation would help deliver results, it could only have a limited impact, partially because most key decisions still rested with each European state rather than being made at a European level. She explains more in the clip below:
The stringent demands of the Europeans Union’s 20-20-20 targets call for reducing greenhouse gas emissions to a level that is 20 percent below that of 1990; reducing primary energy use compared with projected levels by 20 percent; and ensuring that 20 percent of the EU’s energy consumption should come from renewable resources.
Describing the summit and the ecomagination line of more energy efficient options that are available in the region, GE Energy President for Central and Eastern Europe, Russia and CIS Rod Christie told us: “We had a great opportunity to put our money where our mouth is and show how an environmentally conscious program can make good financial sense, while not proving a burden to an existing system. The goal was to help educate the attendees about what the opportunities and realities are in their home countries, so that they can ask better questions of government and industry leaders.”
In the clip below, Klaus Klipp, CEO of the Assembly of European Regions, gives his thoughts on the summit:
Rod added that one of the key issues surrounding the implementation of alternative energy options in Eastern Europe is perception in the region. There is often not a clear understanding as to what is myth, and what is reality — as there is often an assumption that alternative sources are too expensive or not viable. For example, some customers may believe that wind farms might be more expensive to build and maintain, he says, when that is not necessarily true. There has been a vast improvement in wind capture technology today, enhancing productivity versus just several years ago,” he said. Nuclear and cleaner coal are also alternative energy options, as are technology options such as GE’s ecomagination Jenbacher gas engines, which are already operational throughout the continent and can create huge efficiencies, such as harnessing biofuels and coal mine gas as energy sources.
Leap-frogging: At the summit, Rod Christie, above, also highlighted GE’s progress in developing alternative energy initiatives in Eastern and Central Europe. “There are a lot of interesting projects being developed in this region. Eastern and Central Europe are often at an advantage compared to ‘old Europe’ as there is more opportunity to jump forward to newer technologies,” he said. “Many people are surprised when I tell them that the largest onshore wind farm outside the US is in Romania, powered by GE turbines. The region has the potential to be a world leader in this area.”
* Learn more about the energy summit
* Read coverage from the event about our offshore wind technology
* Read “Port of Rotterdam sailing to sustainability on tech wave” on GE Reports
* Read “GE’s “sustainable cities” road show tours Europe” on GE Reports
* Read “Google & GE call for home energy info in Copenhagen” on GE Reports
* Learn about four GE cities projects that received “Benchmark of Excellence” awards
* Learn about Europe’s biggest initiative to reduce urban greenhouse gas emissions
* Learn more about the European road show
* Learn more about GE’s work on “Building Sustainable Cities”