| 1. EKOenergy's annual report - Inspiration to continue in 2023 |
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Interest in renewable energy continued to grow in 2022. Many who hadn’t seen climate protection as enough of a reason to switch to renewables started seeing renewables as a means to reduce costs and increase energy security.
This has given us at EKOenergy a chance to work alongside a wider network of stakeholders. We welcomed new EKOenergy users of all sizes, financed new renewable energy projects in off-grid villages, talked at conferences and events, and much more.
You can read about the various dimensions of our work and our concrete achievements in EKOenergy's annual report: EKOenergy ecolabel in 2022. Thanks a lot to all those who were involved: energy consumers, EKOenergy's authorised sellers and others.
Seeing the concrete impact of our work in 2022 gives us the vigour to continue with the same enthusiasm in 2023 and we hope that all of you will join. The energy transition doesn't just happen but comes about as the result of the efforts of millions of people, including you. Let's continue creating a positive impact together in 2023! |
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| 2. REC Market Meeting 2023: Maximising Renewable Opportunities |
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As in previous years, EKOenergy is a proud supporting association of the REC Market Meeting conference.
This year's REC Market Meeting will take place in Amsterdam on the 25th and 26th of April. Together with the organisers, we want to make sure that both long-term experts and newcomers have a fruitful conference, with plenty of opportunities to meet, learn and discuss.
EKOenergy is particularly involved in the organisation of the C-stream sessions. The C-stream focuses on basic information about tracking systems. We will take a closer look at various stages of the tracking certificate life cycle and highlight new developments.
For the full program and registration, see the conference website. The early bird registration ends on the 31st of January! |
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| "If we want to avert climate catastrophe, renewables are the only credible path forward. Only renewables can safeguard our future, close the energy access gap, stabilise prices and ensure energy security." - UN Secretary-General António Guterres, on Twitter |
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| 3. News from previously financed solar projects |
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Users of EKOenergy-labelled energy help speed up the energy transition. Thanks to every EKOenergy user, we provide grants to new clean energy projects in developing countries. These projects improve the living standards of local communities, many of whom are in rural, off-grid areas.
You can find information about all these projects and see our Climate Stories leaflets on our Climate Fund webpage.
Last year, we granted 25,000 € to the Pakistani NGO Health and Rural Development Balochistan to bring solar power to 4 off-grid villages in the Khuzdar area of Pakistan. The project is now finished and they sent us photos and a video.
We published new Climate Stories leaflets about the recently finished projects: Solar power for fishermen in Kenya and Off-grid solar charging stations for two towns in Mozambique.
We made a short video with photos from 9 of the 15 solar projects that we financed in 2022.
We got photos from a project that we financed in India: Solar installations for five rural health centres in Karnataka, implemented by TERI. Thanks a lot to all sellers and consumers of EKOenergy-labelled energy for helping us support projects such as these. |
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| "I have attended a session on climate change, environment and benefits of solar energy which is conducted by ECCMC members. For the first time, I learned about enviromental, climate change and global warming issues as well as how we can contribute to the efforts to address these problems and save the environment." - Awesha Mengal, 10 years old girl from Khuzdar, one of the beneficiaries of a project financed by EKOenergy |
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| 4. Call for EKOenergy's Climate Fund project proposals is still open |
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As we announced in our December newsletter, our call for solar and wind energy projects is open until 10 February 2023. Experienced non-profit organisations are welcome to submit proposals in line with our guidelines.
We are looking to finance 15 to 20 renewable energy projects, costing about 10,000€ to 40,000€ each. This year, some of the EKOenergy users have shown interest in supporting projects from local NGOs in South Africa and India. Therefore, we particularly encourage such NGOs to submit proposals.
All applications we receive will be ranked based on the four evaluation criteria described in the call, such as the involvement of local communities and the replicability of the project. |
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| 5. We welcomed Laura Blomberg to the team |
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We are growing the EKOenergy team so that we are better able to manage the steadily increasing volumes of EKOenergy and maintain frequent contacts with the growing number of EKOenergy providers.
As EKOenergy grows, so does our Climate Fund. We have recruited Laura Blomberg to coordinate the selection of the projects we finance, to maintain contact with the beneficiaries and to follow up on the implementation.
Laura previously worked as the coordinator of various nature protection and restoration projects in Madagascar. She joined our team at the beginning of this year.
Welcome to the EKOenergy team, Laura! |
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| "We’re excited to announce that we’re partnering with EKOenergy ecolabel, the globally recognised nonprofit ecolabel for renewable energy. Together, we’re providing a new online tool called EKOdirect, which will enable EKOenergy’s authorised sellers to request proofs of consumption, keep an overview of their transactions and payments, and much more." - CerQlar, on LinkedIn |
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| 6. Annual audit for authorised EKOenergy sellers |
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EKOenergy's Secretariat is working on the audits of the use of EKOenergy in 2022. We have sent the audit documents to our authorised sellers and service providers, and we will get in touch with each of them individually in the coming weeks. Feel free to let us know if you need information in your own language.
EKOenergy's internationally protected logo can only be used by the consumers of EKOenergy-labelled energy and the authorised companies for the promotion and sales of energy that fulfils our criteria.
Our authorised sellers and service providers can contact us any time they have questions or for issuing a proof of EKOenergy use for their clients. |
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| 7. EKOenergy on social media |
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Follow EKOenergy on social media to get relevant updates about the climate crisis, renewable energy and climate action worldwide.
Here are some recent posts:
All the solar power from the on-site installation of @UContinental, Peru, is EKOenergy-labelled. Administered by @caralenergy. (from our Twitter)
We think the main rules of the Greenhouse Gas Protocol Scope 2 Guidance, i.e the dual reporting requirement and the focus on the avoidance of double counting should remain unchanged. You can read more about it in our article. (from our LinkedIn)
We said farewell to Harri Hölttä, chairperson of the Finnish Association for Nature Conservation and of EKOenergy's steering group. As a farewell gift, we found a stylish Support Ukraine bag, made with EKOenergy-labelled electricity (produced by @globehope). We filled it with beers from @saimaabrewingco, beverages produced by @olvi_oyj, and shampoos, and soaps from @olehyvaluonnontuote. Great local products, that are all produced with EKOenergy! (from our Instagram)
#MadeWithEKOenergy! The products of KO-KO-A are produced with EKOenergy-labelled electricity. In the photo, you see their assemble-it-yourself bat house. (from our LinkedIn)
Our 75th EU Solidarity Corps volunteer has arrived! (from our Twitter) |
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| "Today we completed the roll-out of the 2022 Good100 Medal thanks to the leadership of the Roxbourg Jury and sustainable innovators from around the world including [...] EKOenergy ecolabel [...], building a better world. Congratulations!" - Roxbourg HYPR Accelerator, on LinkedIn |
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| 8. Big Oil has known about global warming since the 1970s |
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Exxon’s internal documents, as well as peer-reviewed studies published by Exxon and ExxonMobil Corp scientists, overwhelmingly acknowledged that climate change is real and human-caused. Since the late 1970s and early 1980s, ExxonMobil predicted global warming correctly and skillfully in private and academic circles. 63 to 83% of the climate projections reported by ExxonMobil scientists were accurate in predicting subsequent global warming. ExxonMobil’s average projected warming was 0.20° ± 0.04°C per decade, which is, within uncertainty, the same as that of independent academic and government projections published between 1970 and 2007.
By contrast, most of Mobil and ExxonMobil Corp's public communications promoted doubt on the matter.
Exxon is not an exception, unfortunately. Other documents have also emerged, showing that the US oil and gas industry’s largest trade association had likewise known since at least the 1950s, that fossil fuel products could lead to global warming with “dramatic environmental effects before the year 2050", as had the coal industry since at least the 1960s, and electric utilities, Total oil company, and GM and Ford motor companies since at least the 1970s.
Text copied from the summary of a recent analysis in Science Magazine. See also an article about the same topic on the CNN Business website. |
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We at EKOenergy are always enthusiastic to collaborate with new partners.
For further information, please do not hesitate to get in touch. |
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