Business has a huge opportunity to drive innovative solutions on renewable heating and cooling, and must be supported by ambitious government policy, the Climate Group says today.
It comes in response to ‘Companies in transition towards 100% renewables: Focus on heating and cooling’, a new report by the International Renewable Energy Association (IRENA) Coalition for Action.
“With heating and cooling accounting for 75% of industrial energy use it’s vital we adopt cleaner and smarter solutions globally. Businesses and governments can – and must – lead the way.
“Leading companies are setting long-term goals for renewable heating and cooling, and rolling out innovative sourcing models. State and regional governments are also making clean energy a top priority, with renewables accounting for almost half of reported electricity use last year.
“However, to halve emissions by the end of this decade we have to pick up the pace – we need a joined-up approach uniting ambitious climate targets with actions to match.”
“With heating and cooling accounting for 75% of industrial energy use it’s vital we adopt cleaner and smarter solutions globally. Businesses and governments can – and must – lead the way.
“Leading companies are setting long-term goals for renewable heating and cooling, and rolling out innovative sourcing models. State and regional governments are also making clean energy a top priority, with renewables accounting for almost half of reported electricity use last year.
“However, to halve emissions by the end of this decade we have to pick up the pace – we need a joined-up approach uniting ambitious climate targets with actions to match.”
The report provides guidance for companies and governments on how to further scale up corporate sourcing of renewable heating and cooling. It features case studies on Mars Inc. and Danfoss, members of the Climate Group’s global corporate leadership initiatives on cleaner, smarter energy.
Winston Chen, Renewable Energy Manager, Mars, Inc., said, “As the first US company to join RE100 back in 2014, we’ve been proud to lead on renewable energy. Over half of our global electricity use now comes from renewable sources.
“But we’re not stopping there; a big area of interest for us is renewable heat, and we hope many companies join us on this journey.”
ENDS
Notes to editor
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Read more about the climate leadership of subnational governments in the Global States and Regions Annual Disclosure 2020.
About the Climate Group
The Climate Group drives climate action. Fast. Our goal is a world of net zero carbon emissions by 2050, with greater prosperity for all. We focus on systems with the highest emissions and where our networks have the greatest opportunity to drive change. We do this by building large and influential networks and holding organisations accountable, turning their commitments into action. We share what we achieve together to show more organisations what they could do. We are an international non-profit organisation, founded in 2004, with offices in London, New Delhi and New York. We are proud to be part of the We Mean Business coalition. Follow us on Twitter @ClimateGroup.
About RE100
RE100 is a global initiative bringing together the world’s most influential businesses committed to 100% renewable power. Led by international non-profit the Climate Group in partnership with CDP, the group have a total revenue of overUS$6.6 trillion and operate in a diverse range of sectors. Together, they send a powerful signal to policymakers and investors to accelerate the transition to a clean economy. #RE100
About EP100
EP100 is a global initiative by international non-profit the Climate Group, bringing together a growing group of energy-smart companies committed to doing more with less to improve their energy productivity. Members are driving tech innovation and reducing emissions while making substantial cost savings and improving competitiveness – inspiring others to follow their lead. EP100 is delivered in partnership with the Alliance to Save Energy and in association with the World Green Building Council’s Net Zero Carbon Buildings Commitment. #EP100
About the Under2 Coalition
The Under2 Coalition is a global community of state and regional governments committed to ambitious climate action in line with the Paris Agreement. Governments in the coalition commit to keeping global temperature rises to well below 2°C with efforts to reach 1.5°C. Ten states and regions in the coalition have committed to reaching net-zero emissions by 2050 or earlier. The Climate Group is the Secretariat to the Under2 Coalition and works with governments across three key workstreams. The Climate Group also works directly with state and regional governments on capacity-building projects to support the implementation of climate policy. Visit www.under2coalition.org or follow #Under2Coalition on Twitter.