Competence centre on renewable energy in Hamburg

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education

ISSN: 1467-6370

Article publication date: 1 July 2006

108

Citation

(2006), "Competence centre on renewable energy in Hamburg", International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Vol. 7 No. 3. https://doi.org/10.1108/ijshe.2006.24907cab.001

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2006, Emerald Group Publishing Limited


Competence centre on renewable energy in Hamburg

Competence centre on renewable energy in Hamburg

A “Competence Centre on Renewable Energy” will start operating in Hamburg from the 1 April 2006 as part of the European Reference Point for Technology Transfer for Sustainable Development at TuTech Innovation. The Competence Centre will work closely with the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW), the Technical University of Hamburg and many agencies in the Baltic and across Europe, and will enlist the know-how and expertise available on energy at the European level.

The Competence Centre will have the following aims:

  • to foster knowledge, information and understanding on renewable energy;

  • to develop knowledge and competence for planning with regard to the use of renewable energy;

  • to undertake analyses and studies on economically and technically expediently operating plants for the use of renewable energy; and

  • to assist in the development of the technical and economical opportunities to use renewable energy.

The Competence Centre will be of great assistance to national governments, regional and local governments interested in questions related to renewable energy. It will also be helpful to individuals within companies, organisations, and authorities who engage in planning, operating or evaluation of renewable energy or who are involved in financing, promotion, legal licensing, operation of facilities for the use of renewable energy and the related environmental issues connected to it.

For further information, contact: energy@tutech.de

Building industry joins UN green initiative

Multinational firms including Lafarge, Skanska and Arcelor have joined a UN scheme to improve the environmental performance of buildings. The scheme will develop energy-efficiency pilot projects and provide input to similar national initiatives.

For further information, visit web site: www.unep.org/Documents.Multilingual/Default.asp?DocumentID = 469&ArticleID = 5147&l = en

Call for action to cut EU transport energy use

The European Commission should make a specific strategy for reducing energy use in transport, a group of EU experts has told the European Commission’s environment and transport advisory body. In a report, the group argues that until now EU energy policy in the transport sector has focused almost solely on energy efficiency. Other policies such as the trans-European transport network (TEN) might provide lower energy use by reducing congestion. But this would likely be offset by increases in long-distance journeys in the long term, the experts say.

The report calls for more demand-control policies, including increasing the cost of both motorised and freight transport. Such policies have “impressive” potential for energy reductions, it says. Without giving a specific deadline, the report argues that car traffic in Europe could be reduced by 10 per cent by implementing a series of measures ranging from eco-driving programmes to setting non-binding tar gets for energy consumption by 2020. Other impacts expected include a 10 per cent shift from road haulage to rail and inland waterways.

“Cooperation needed” to grow green technologies

Governments must take integrated action to achieve both the environmental and economic potential of environmental technologies, according to an interim report commissioned by Norway’s pollution control authority (SFT). Environment policy makers should learn about and cooperate with other departments likely to be responsible for measures to boost environmental technologies, it concludes. The report recommends combined use of regulatory, economic and administrative measures to help boost the sector.

For further information on report, visit web site: www.miljoteknologi.no/global/english/

European initiative to boost biofuels

Energy consultancy Ecofys has teamed up with European firms including Ford and Dutch car leasing company Tergerg Leasing in a project to prepare for large-scale use of “greener” fuels such biofuels and natural gas. Called Procura, the project will focus on developing a second-hand market for such fuels and introducing green lease contracts.

For further information, visit web site: www.ecofys.com/com/news/pressreleases2006/pressrelease9Feb2006.htm

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