Renewable Energy

The FAO 2011 paper advocates for an energy-smart food system to enhance sustainability, reduce GHG emissions, and improve food security by boosting energy efficiency and integrating renewable energies across the food supply chain, while providing policy recommendations and calling for international cooperation.

The "From Farm to Fork" strategy under the European Green Deal sets ambitious targets like reducing pesticides, increasing organic farming, and halving food waste by 2030. It emphasizes environmental health and economic benefits, advocating technological innovation and stronger global partnerships for sustainable food systems.

This article discusses institutional investors' perspective on energy efficiency and how metered efficiency could spur investment. It addresses financial institutions' growing interest in energy efficiency due to market potential, risk mitigation, carbon emission reduction, and regulatory pressure. Barriers like small project scale, heterogeneity, data scarcity, and performance risk inhibit investment. The concept of metered efficiency, akin to Power Purchase Agreements, is presented as a solution to align payment with actual energy savings, enhancing investability and quality assurance in energy efficiency projects.

The European Energy Efficiency Conference in Wels, Austria, from 6-7 March 2024, emphasizes urgent implementation of energy efficiency measures in response to fluctuating prices, geopolitical instability, and climate crisis. It addresses new EU targets, energy efficiency market demands, and showcases the EENOVA and DEESME EU projects. Over 60 speakers will cover policies, markets, financing, e-mobility, and industrial decarbonization. The event includes a tradeshow and opportunities for peer exchange and networking.

Space-based solar energy (SBSE) overcomes terrestrial solar power limitations, offering continuous, efficient energy. Despite high costs and ecological concerns, advances in technology and interest from ESA and CALTECH's SSPD indicate its promising potential for sustainable energy.

The article discusses the application of the soft systems model to industrial decarbonisation, emphasizing 'contextual evaluation'. This approach examines how decarbonisation measures align with an organization's broader policies and strategies. It involves assessing technical, financial, and contextual aspects to generate new ideas and requires thinking beyond conventional energy management boundaries.

Mafalda Silva is a Senior Researcher at the Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering. She has participated and managed multiple projects concerning energy planning and sustainability. Silva has developed a heat and cold matching platform that determines the costs and benefits related to excess heat utilization routes for the industry and end users.

Until now, there was no efficient way for industries generating excess heat to provide it to nearby users who need it. Now the EMB3Rs platform, a tool that matches thermal energy sources with potential demand, offers an effective way for these heat sources and sinks to find each other.

The final video about EMB3Rs heat and cold matching platform has been released. It features the different application options for the platform. Discover four case studies in Portugal and Greece, take a visit at the platform developers office and listen to what the coordinator.