Spotlight on EU funded project – Unlocking SME potential: Financing energy efficiency for a sustainable future

In 2024, global electric vehicle (EV) sales exceeded 17 million, a significant increase from 2020 totals. China's electric car sales hit 11 million, driving affordability and adoption worldwide. Battery cost reductions and technological advancements improved EV competitiveness, while the expansion of charging infrastructure supported the growing EV market. Electric commercial transport also gained momentum, with electric trucks becoming more economically feasible. Projections suggest EVs will continue to grow, reaching substantial market shares globally by 2030.

The CORALIS guidelines address financing and risk mitigation for Industrial Symbiosis (IS) projects, offering a structured process to enhance stakeholder relationships, align with regulatory frameworks, and improve project implementation for sustainable industrial operations.

By 2030, AI will necessitate a $7 trillion investment in data centers, driven by widespread AI adoption and geopolitical priorities. The demand for specialized compute hardware and energy-intensive AI workloads is creating significant power and supply chain challenges, emphasizing the need for efficiency, renewable energy, and advanced demand forecasting.

The European Commission issued guidelines to aid EU member states in adopting the Energy Efficiency Directive by October 2025. Recommendation 2024/2002 promotes an integrated approach to energy audits, management systems, and sustainability reporting, supporting compliance with broader EU directives.

From 2019 to 2025, global energy investment shifted dramatically towards clean energy, with investments doubling and surpassing fossil fuels. Solar power, driven by cost declines and technological advances, became the largest investment segment. However, while investment in renewables aligned with climate goals, grid investments lagged, creating bottlenecks. Surprisingly, AI data centers increased demand for reliable baseload power, reviving interest in nuclear and gas. Distributed solar grew in emerging markets independently of policy, reshaping economic dynamics, yet clean energy deployment remained unequal globally.

The paper discusses the rapid global adoption of electric vehicles (EVs), driven by falling battery costs, government incentives, and a growing commitment to environmental sustainability. Advances in technology, like solid-state batteries and Vehicle-to-Grid systems, are enhancing EV capabilities and integration into energy grids. Despite challenges like charging infrastructure and ethical material sourcing, EVs are increasingly seen as crucial for cleaner transportation and climate change mitigation, impacting energy systems, creating new economic opportunities, and transforming urban environments.

The EU Energy Efficiency Directive sets binding targets to reduce energy use by 2030 and introduces measures across sectors for energy savings, prioritizing efficiency, sustainability, and enhanced energy security for European citizens and businesses, requiring member states to implement various efficiency strategies and reporting mechanisms.

The paper provides an analysis of 19 hydrogen production methods, focusing on efficiency, cost, and environmental sustainability. It identifies the efficiency of fossil fuel reforming and the high environmental impact of non-renewable sources. Renewable methods are more sustainable but less developed. Hybrid approaches offer balanced results while further innovation is needed for truly sustainable hydrogen production.

A new framework evaluates industrial symbiosis, showing cost savings, revenue growth, risk reduction, and intangible benefits, advocating strategic partnerships and regulatory navigation for long-term sustainable advantage.