Industrial CHP supports Europe’s industry in the economic crisis

Press release by COGEN Europe

Key role for industrial CHP in addressing current economic crisis

Cogeneration in industry currently saves Europe around 15 million Toe[1] of energy imports each year. However as Europe works its way out of an economic crisis, industries are under ever more pressure to concentrate on their core activities. While some governments implementing sectoral specific and short-sighted policy actions, are we on the verge to witness an erosion of Europe’s valuable industrial cogeneration base?
 
COGEN Europe believes that a more pragmatic and business oriented approach in EU and national policies is needed. Fiona Riddoch, Managing Director of COGEN Europe, said that “cogeneration is the best available technology in terms of efficiency in several sectors but there is an overhead in cost to running such a facility. Particularly at a time where fuel prices are in flux across the globe, industries are having to take tough decisions near term.”
 
This year COGEN Europe’s Annual Conference will focus on industry, innovation and the European economy. Araceli Fernandez Pales from the International Energy Agency, and who will be speaking at the conference, emphasises that “there is great potential for energy savings through an increased penetration of CHP applications in industrial sectors, especially in heat demand-intensive industrial processes, such as the chemicals and petrochemicals sector. The IEA estimates that in the OECD European countries about 8% -or 200 Peta Joule- of these two sectors’ 2010 final energy use -excluding feedstock- could be saved by the wide use of cogeneration. In an environment of increasing energy prices, cogeneration can play a relevant role in helping reduce the energy costs of key industrial processes.“
 
The IEA and other high level organisations will address the issue of both the near and the long term challenges for industries and what that it actually means for European energy and industry policy during the COGEN Europe Annual Conference (18-19 April in Brussels). More information on this event can be found on www.cogeneurope.eu

For more information please contact:
  
Dr Fiona Riddoch, Managing Director
Tel: +32 2 772 8290
Fax: + 32 2 772 5044
Email: fiona.riddoch@cogeneurope.eu

Stefan Craenen, Communications Manager
Tel: +32 2 772 8290
Fax: + 32 2 772 5044
Email: stefan.craenen@cogeneurope.eu