News Archive

Here you can browse through older news items:

July 2010

29.07.10 France launches new strategy for green economy

Paris hopes to tune into the green economy by increasingly placing eco-labels on everyday products, designing a green industrial policy and developing a more sustainable farming model.

French Environment Minister Jean-Louis Borloo this week (27 July) presented another national strategy for sustainable development, for the period 2010-2013. The new strategy identifies nine strategic challenges for achieving "a green and fair economy". The strategy foresees boosting the development of environmental labelling for everyday consumer products to direct consumers towards more sustainable choices, and supporting companies in their eco-design efforts. One of the new strategy's goals is to make sustainable products and services accessible to more people and to double by 2012 the sale of products carrying an eco-label >>more

(source: EurActiv)

28.07.10 Making sustainable consumption and production a reality

The European Commission has published a guide which shows how a life cycle approach can be used to identify and reduce the environmental and health impacts of the products we use. It underlines the importance of considering these issues across the entire life cycle of a product and sets them within the context of policy development, business design and innovation. The information in this brochure is aimed at helping both the public and private sectors make more informed decisions to achieve better environmental outcomes through better policies, business strategies, product design and better customer choice >>more

(source: EU Commission)

26.07.10 Historic bridge gets LEDs

The high-pressure-sodium (HPS) lights that used to light the historic West Dummerston Covered Bridge have been replaced with LED luminaires. These fixtures have motion sensors and advanced controls that reduce the light output (and energy use) by 90% after five minutes of inactivity. The lighting retrofit of the West Dummerston Bridge was led by a local resident who recognised the opportunity to demonstrate the use of a state-of-the-art lighting product in a very photogenic and historic structure. The new lighting on the bridge not only provides better illumination for drivers but also highlights the internal and external architectural features of the wooden structure >>more

(source: BuildingGreen)

19.07.10 ELENA facility supports cities and regions in developing sustainable solutions

The European Local Energy Assistance (ELENA) is providing €30 million in funding from the Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE) programme to help cities and regions implement viable investment projects such as retrofitting of public and private buildings, sustainable building, energy-efficient district heating and cooling networks or environmentally-friendly transport. At present urban areas are responsible for 70 to 80% of energy consumption and CO₂ emissions in Europe. For this reason, EU initiatives at the local level, such as the Covenant of Mayors, are encouraging towns and cities to take the lead in the fight against climate change >>more

(source: ETAP)

19.07.10 Louvre Museum renovation to include LED lighting

The Louvre Museum will undergo a renovation project featuring Toshiba LED lighting. Under the agreement, Toshiba will support lighting renovations in some of the museum’s most visited public spaces including the Pyramids, the Napoléon Court, and the Cour Carrée with state-of-the art Toshiba LED lighting and renovation costs. A total of 4,500 LED light fittings are planned, with the partnership expected to last till the end of 2023 >>more

(source: LEDs Magazine)

14.07.10 Know the real cost of what your city is buying

Procurement decision makers can now calculate the life-cycle costs and carbon dioxide emissions of different innovative products and services they are considering purchasing with the help of the new SMART SPP Tool. The Tool was launched earlier this year in Spanish, English, Portuguese and Danish, and since today is also available in German.

Calculating the life-cycle costs of products is not always a straight-forward process and this is why a step-by-step user guide was also developed by the SMART SPP project partners to accompany the tool and provide further support to cities and public authorities - the users >>more

13.07.10 Predicting the effects of electric vehicles on the electricity grid

Recent research in Milan (Italy) suggests that increasing the number of private electric vehicles would have very little impact on the overall electricity consumption. However, unless there are suitable regulations, the daily demand for power to recharge the vehicles at peak times could overload the capacity of the electric supply system. >>more

(source: Science for Environment Policy)

07.07.10 Development of net zero energy office building through cooperative venture

Daikin Europe N.V. has joined forces with major research institutions to develop economically feasible net zero energy building (nZEB) concepts based on heat pumps. In the light of Europe's 20-20-20 targets, heat pumps will significantly reduce building energy consumption compared to fossil fuel based heating concepts. Daikin Europe N.V. is currently working on constructing a typical office that will have a net zero energy use, utilising heat pumps and solar cells as renewable energy source. The project is scheduled for completion in July 2010. >>more

(source: Build Up)

06.07.10 EU mandates standard plug for electric cars

The European Commission has announced a mandate for European standardisation organisations to develop a common charging system for electric vehicles. The idea is to make sure that all plugs and connectors use the same standard across all 27 EU member states so that drivers can use the same plug regardless of vehicle brand or country. The standards are expected to be ready for deployment by mid-2011 >>more

(source: EurActiv)

01.07.10 UK's North-East on the move to implement Whole Life Costing

More than 50 public procurers from the United Kingdom's North East region have been trained in using the Whole-Life-Costing and CO₂ Assessment Tool, developed in the SMART SPP project. The tool helps procurers, requisitioners, carbon managers and energy managers, as well as political decision makers, to calculate the real cost of a good or service and, at the same time, helps them to find out how their purchase contributes to their climate bill by calculating the CO₂ emissions. This is done by calculating not only acquisition but also maintenance, operation and end-of-life costs.

Feedback on the tool so far has been positive: "Excellent tool, very keen to progress to adoption." says Wendi Wheeler, Energy Manager, Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. The training series, generously supported by the UK's North East Improvement and Efficiency Partnership, will therefore be continued in September this year.

Interested in finding out more? Contact Philipp Tepper

June 2010

30.06.10 Electric taxis take to the streets of Shenzhen

In May this year, the first batch of 30 BYD e6 electric taxis appeared in Shenzhen, South China's Guangdong province with the aim of increasing this figure to 100 by the end of the year. The e6 model is a crossover car produced by Chinese automaker BYD Co Ltd. To facilitate the uptake of this new industry, the Shenzhen government has drawn up a subsidy plan to help create a niche market for electric taxis. The introduction of electric vehicles is also part of Shenzhen's plan to create a green city and 24,000 electric vehicles and 12,750 charging stations are expected in the city by 2012. The automaker is in the midst of developing a solar energy storage system for these charging stations. If successful, the system of electric cars has the potential to run completely off-grid >>more

(source: People's Daily Online)

23.06.10 Registration now open for the Procura⁺ Seminar 2010 taking place in Helsinki in November

The annual Procura⁺ Seminar to be held in Helsinki later this year on 11-12 November will focus on "Innovation through Procurement" across two days. Representatives including procurers, policy makers and experts from across Europe will come together to exchange ideas, concepts, opinions and experiences on how sustainable procurement can contribute to innovation in the areas of sustainable construction, small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) and supplier engagement.

Participation is free, however prior registration is essential to ensure you have a place >>more

(source: Procura⁺ Campaign)

22.06.10 Electric taxi fleet ready to serve London's 2012 Olympics

After reports of increased revenue, Eco City Vehicles plans to launch a fleet of electric taxis this year in time for the London 2012 Olympics. The idea is to run electric taxis to and from the Olympic Village. The company is both a developer and supplier of eco-friendly commercial vehicles and the London licensed taxi. The Mercedes Vito model, in particular, is gaining popularity and has been put forward to both Transport for London and the London Mayor's office as a potential candidate for the possible taxi fleet. In addition, the group deepened its relationship with Mercedes-Benz and is in negotiations to become a full Light Commercial Vehicle Mercedes-Benz Franchise in the second half of 2010 >>more

(source: New Energy World Network)

17.06.10 Online comparison tool for retrofitting LED lamps

The Dutch company, LED Lease, has launched an online LED retrofit comparison tool for LED lamps.

In its search for qualitative LED products which are suitable for financing - and apparently due to a lack of independent and objective LED data - have spurred LED Lease to launch its own online comparison tool >>more

(source: LEDs Magazine)

15.06.10 Strasbourg and Stuttgart join forces for electric vehicle pilot project

A cross-border, rechargeable electric vehicle pilot project will be launched in mid-2010 between France and Germany, in the Eurodistrict and in the German state of Baden-Württemberg. A German-French working group on electric mobility developed a joint approach to the issue of standardisation for electric vehicles and charging infrastructures. The group's recommendations will be put into concrete action in the region between the cities of Strasbourg, Karlsruhe, Mannheim and Stuttgart. The group's work is open to other EU member states >>more

(source: Federal Ministry of Economics and Technology)

07.06.10 Integrated heat and electricity systems reuse 'lost heat'

The integration of heat and electricity systems can enable the heat that is produced as a by-product of electricity generation to be recycled into a more energy efficient system. However, in a recent interview with Fiona Riddoch, managing director of Cogen Europe, and Sabine Froning, managing director of Euroheat&Power, it was emphasised that current EU energy strategies overlook this. There are significant energy savings that could be achieved with an integrated approach that allows the use of waste heat, they stated, but instead, the EU debate puts a heavy stress on electricity production and has left out discussion on investment in heat networks, infrastructure and cooling needs. "If we consider that we have already more than 50% losses in the energy system as a whole, it would only increase if we do not take care of the heat at the same time," said Froning >>more

(source: EurActiv)

02.06.10 New EV partnership – Toyota and Tesla together

Toyota Motors Inc. and Tesla Motors Inc. have partnered to make electric cars. Tesla will begin to build its electric car, the Model S sedan and future vehicles, in a Californian factory where Toyota had, until last month, manufactured its Corolla and Tacoma vehicles. Toyota will be investing around $50 million into Tesla, with the hope of introducing its own electric vehicles in 2012. Additionally, Tesla hopes to benefit from Toyota’s extensive manufacturing experience. "The Tesla factory effectively leverages an ideal combination of hardcore Silicon Valley engineering talent, traditional automotive engineering talent and the proven Toyota production system," said Tesla Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk >>more

(source: Wall Street Journal)

May 2010

31.05.10 Strasbourg launches a 3-year EV project

Toyota, French energy provider EDF, and the City and the Urban Community of Strasbourg launched a large-scale, 3-year Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHV) demonstration in Strasbourg. The City and the Urban Community of Strasbourg will lease five PHVs and ensure the set-up of public charging points along public roads, as well as provide a subsidy to the local car sharing company to lease three PHVs. The remaining vehicles will be leased to various public institutions and private companies. EDF’s objective is to evaluate different operational options for the charging infrastructure as some of the vehicles use an innovative charging system that facilitates the identification of the vehicle and consumed energy >>more

(source: Green Car Congress)

27.05.10 EU industry ministers push for electric mobility standardisation

Support has been given by the EU’s industry ministers to the European Commission’s strategy for clean and energy-efficient vehicles. At a Competitiveness Council meeting attended by the ministers, they called for the rapid development of a European standard for electric vehicles. This would ensure that electric vehicles can be recharged anywhere within the EU, with any model of charger. The industry ministers thus urged European standardisation bodies to come up with a harmonised solution for the interoperability of plugs by mid-2011. In addition, France and Germany lead requests for EU finance to fund pilot projects in the field of electric mobility >>more

(source: EurActiv)

25.05.10 Staffordshire village installs LED street lights

Whitington has become the first village in the county of Staffordshire to install over 30,000 new energy-efficient light emitting diode (LED) street lights. The village aims to become a low carbon community and won the prestigious Guardian Green Heroes award in 2009. The new street lights will help the village reduce their CO₂ emissions by 12 tonnes over their 25-year lifespan.

Michael Woodhead, Managing Director for E.ON’s Sustainable Energy business and Advanced LEDs Ltd., the provider of the new technology, commented that “Traditional street lighting takes up about 2% of all electricity used in the United Kingdom (UK) every year” and “if all the street lights in the UK were replaced with these energy saving alternatives, more than six million tonnes of carbon could be saved over a 30 year period” >>more

(source: LEDs Magazine)

20.05.10 Results from the "promoting innovation and public procurement" conference now available

Information and good practice on how public procurement can be used to stimulate sustainable product and service innovation are now available on the European Commission's website. These were presented at the recent European conference on Promoting Innovation through Public Procurement: Best Practice & Networking, which was held in Brussels last March. The conference was organised by the European Commission - DG Enterprise and DG Information Society and Media.

Presentations given at the conference range from practical experiences and approaches for using pre-commercial procurement, to joint green procurement and also to how to stimulate the local economy by involving small and medium sized enterprises >>more

18.05.10 Irish government publishes Guide to smarter procurement and improved SME access to public contracts

The Irish national Department for Enterprise, Trade and Employment published a new handbook entitled "Buying Innovation, The 10 Step Guide to SMART Procurement and SME Access to Public Contracts", intended for use by all public sector organisations in Ireland. The handbook was published in conjunction with a report of the Irish Procurement Innovation Group - "Using Public Procurement to Stimulate Innovation and SME Access to Public Contracts".

Frank Ryan, Chief Executive Officer of Enterprise Ireland said, "Purchasers who engage with the marketplace as early as possible before tendering become more knowledgeable customers. This is key to improving public procurement practices. This 10 Step Guide launched by the Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) is a very welcome development. I particularly welcome the recommended actions to be taken to facilitate greater access by our small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) to public contracts" >>more

(source: Department for Enterprise, Trade and Employment)

12.05.10 Renewable Heating and Cooling Systems – barriers and support mechanisms

The project Optimisation of Support Schemes for Renewable Energy Sources for Electricity Generation, Heating and Cooling (SUPPORT_ERS) has now produced two reports to aid public authorities in their development of renewable heat generation systems. The project, funded by Intelligent Energy and coordinated by the German Development Agency (GTZ), prepared an initial report that presents a systematic overview of existing support instruments for heat generation from renewables (RES-H) and policy recommendations concerning the development of RES-H support instruments using best practice examples. The second report assesses administrative barriers and provides a checklist for authorities to use, which will make administrative procedures related to RES-H projects more efficient >>more

(source: SUPPORT_ERS)

10.05.10 Singapore public housing now using LED technology

Public housing in Singapore will now use energy-efficient light emitting diode (LED) lighting in the stairways and corridors. The tender, worth approximately one million euros, includes supplying and installing mercury-free LED lighting that is able to last up to 50,000 hours, compared to only 8,000 hours for conventional fluorescent lighting. Additionally, the low power consumption of LED lighting will also translate into savings of up to 50 per cent in municipal electricity bills >>more

(source: Aztech Electronics)

05.05.10 EU support for electric vehicles

The European Commission adopted a strategy at the end of April that encourages the development and uptake of “green” heavy- and light-duty vehicles.

The strategy provides a framework for clean and energy efficient vehicles and is part of a wider plan to increase the overall uptake of “green” vehicles across the EU. Although the strategy is technology neutral, it highlights the potential of electric engines and states that the EU should take a leading role by working with member sates at national and regional levels on the build-up of charging and refuelling infrastructures.

However, this is only the beginning step, as highlighted by Jos Dings, director of NGO Transport & Environment (T&E), “on electric cars, the Commission hasn't addressed two of the most critical issues, namely ensuring that the extra electricity needed will boost renewable sources and the need for smart meters in every vehicle to keep track of consumption and the carbon intensity of electricity"…"these two issues will be critical to ensuring that electric cars actually reduce emissions." >>more

(source: EurActiv/European Commission)

04.05.10 Cities supporting innovation

The buying power of cities can act as a lever for change and market innovation, as cities are able to make cross-cutting connections that create opportunities for both big businesses and entrepreneurs.

A recent interview between EurActiv and a representative from the European city network Eurocities, highlighted that the challenge for cities is to come together and work to increase their leverage, such as by cities working together to develop a single specification to purchase "green" vehicles. Additionally, public private partnerships (PPPs) have become an increasingly common feature of how public authorities use their budgets, although they may take different approaches. Large cities, such as Vienna and Stockholm, are examples of this, where Vienna has a policy of delivering services itself and Stockholm has developed several partnerships with private enterprises >>more

(source: EurActiv)

April 2010

28.04.10 Working together on electric mobility in Munich

The BMW Group, Siemens and the Municipal Energy Supplier in Munich (Stadtwerke München - SWM) have come together to co-operate on the testing of electric vehicles and for building an appropriate charging infrastructure in the Bavarian capital.

As part of the German stimulus plan, Munich has been chosen as one of the eight model regions for the testing of and market preparation for electric vehicles. The plan intends to develop publicly accessible charging stations on roads and in parking lots, as well as power pumps for home and fleet charging. Efforts will be made to reduce charging times and to further the distance that the vehicles can travel. Siemens will supply the technology, the BMW Group the electric MINI E cars and green energy will be provided by SWM >> more

(source: Stadtwerke München)

26.04.10 Busting the myths surrounding electric vehicles

Greg Archer, head of the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) took to the Stage at The Environmental Technology show last week in an attempt to dispel some of the fog surrounding the facts on electric transport.

"There are lots of myths out there at the moment, some exaggerate the benefits, some the downsides," he said. He said that the first myth was that, due to taking electricity produced by fossil fuels from the grid, they do not save carbon. "They do," he said. "Even with the current grid an electric car will get around a 25 to 30% saving over its lifecycle, and as the grid is decarbonised, so those benefits will increase >>more

(source: Environmental Data Interactive Exchange)

22.04.10 Freiburg leads the way with LED plans

The City of Freiburg in Germany has been honoured at the Light+Building 2010 trade fair in Frankfurt. The city was one of ten winners of the German Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) tendered LED competition ‘Communities in a new light’. The winners, announced on 12 April, will receive up to EUR 2 million to help them realise their plans.

The project proposed by Freiburg would see energy efficient LED lighting solutions for the illumination of the city’s historical centre. Through the use of advanced LED light sources in combination with intelligent control systems, savings of up to 65 per cent compared to earlier lighting could be achieved. This would significantly contribute to the ambitious climate protection targets of the city of Freiburg, which has long been committed to sustainable local environment and climate protection policy.

The competition was launched by the BMBF on 26 May 2009 at the German municipal congress in Berlin. Local authorities had until December 2009 to submit proposals for LED lighting in municipal areas. An independent jury selected the ten winners from the 141 submitted proposals >>more

(source: Optischetechnologien)

20.04.10 Online innovation lab

The Skipso Cleantech Open Innovation Lab enables public authorities to access clean technology innovation by tapping into a worldwide network of experts and innovators. The online platform is free to join and entirely focused on sustainable innovation. Skipso aims to create an environment where ideas, best practices and opportunities can be exchanged, bridge the gap between industry and research institutions and support cleantech companies investing in innovation >>more

(source: Skipso)

15.04.10 Germany's ambitions to become a lead market for electric vehicles

Several German ministries are involved in the launch of new projects for the national initiative regarding electric vehicle mobility. The German Federal Government plans to have one million electric cars on German roads by 2020.

Research will focus on two key issues: the battery and the development of new system approaches for electric vehicles, particularly in terms of energy efficiency, safety and reliability. The Government will also work closely with cities and municipalities to build the infrastructure for electric vehicles in public spaces. Furthermore, in addition to regulatory measures, a market incentive program will be tested, including the introduction of user benefits such as special lanes and parking >>more (in German)

(source: BINE Informationsdienst)

14.04.10 Green procurement no longer the exception

During a recent roundtable hosted by the UK's Carbon Trust Standard, procurement experts warned that suppliers to the public and private sector will see their competitiveness diminish over the next few years if they fail to provide customers with information on their carbon footprint and evidence that they are improving their environmental sustainability. The 'warning' comes from current practice and the expected trend, that public and private sector procurement professionals are increasingly including ambitious sustainable procurement criteria in their tenders for public goods and services.

Several initiatives have been launched to co-ordinate the requests for environmental information from procurement officials, including the Carbon Disclosure Project, the UK's new Government Buying Standards, as well as other internationally credible new environmental standards. Such developments will help public authorities know whether they can trust suppliers' competing environmental claims >>more

(source: Business Green)

08.04.10 London tender to stimulate supply of green electric vehicles

A new tender for the supply of electric vehicles has now been published in the Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU). The Contract Notice, which is worth up to 67 million pounds, seeks to award a framework agreement for the supply and maintenance of energy efficient electric vehicles (EVs) for different vehicle groups.

Transport of London, part of the Greater London Authority (GLA), and an Associate Partner in SMART SPP, is the contracting authority. By 2015 the GLA vehicle fleet is expected to include 1000 EVs as outlined in the Mayor of London’s 'An Electric Vehicle Delivery Plan for London (EVDP). The tender has been published in partnership with the London Borough of Bromley and the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation in the framework of SMART SPP >>more

05.04.10 Commercial lighting with a mind of its own

A new light emitting diodes (LED) technology for commercial installations has been recently revealed that can reduce running costs in facilities by up to 90 per cent over conventional lighting, according to founding company Digital Lumens. Using a wireless networking technology with a centralised system controlled by built-in computers, the embedded sensors detect motion and work accordingly. The decision engine also provides feedback on energy use and can be preset to specific parameters, such as length of shift being worked >>more

(source: Business Green)

March 2010

31.03.10 Electric vehicle pilot project in Kanagawa

A pilot project launched last year by the prefecture of Kanagawa, Japan, promotes the use of Electric Vehicles (EVs) - the first of such projects in Japan. The project is part of Kanagawa's efforts to have 3,000 EVs on the road by fiscal 2014. Under the pilot project the two EVs are rented on weekdays for official use and then to residents during the weekends and national holidays >>more

(source: Japan for Sustainability)

29.03.10 Promoting innovation through public procurement

It is often said that there is a link between public procurement and innovation, which is what experts and policymakers met to discuss at a conference organised by the European Commission in Brussels last week (23-24 March). One of the areas that was highlighted where public procurement can be a driver of adopting innovation was in improving design, insulation and energy use of public buildings.

As a UK-based management consultant said, "innovation doesn't come without risk – you have to be prepared and willing to fail from time to time." It is for that reason that the SMART SPP consortium recently prepared a guide, which explores the different tools that can be used in public procurement practices to support the introduction of innovative solutions. Specifically, it explores early market engagement and compares existing risk management, LCC and CO₂ tools >>more

(source: EurActiv)

25.03.10 LCC-CO₂ tool User Guide is now available in Greek!

The SMART SPP life-cycle costs (LCC) and CO₂ emissions User Guide for public authorities is now available in Greek. The guide provides a step-by-step explanation of how the Excel tool should be used, which will help Greek authorities calculate both the LCC and CO₂ emissions of their purchases which will inform public procurement decisions.

The user guide is now available in five languages >>more

22.03.10 Energy-efficient LED streetlights are now available

The first low-energy streetlight that has been designed, developed and manufactured entirely in the United Kingdom is now available to local authorities through E.ON. Using light emitting diodes (LED) lighting, the streetlights are expected to last 10 times longer than standard streetlamps, equating to more than 150,000 hours. The installation of 10 lights will save £33,000 (36,700€) and 63 tonnes of carbon over 25 years, which could cut energy bill of local authorities by 70 per cent. The lights have already been installed by two local authorities >>more

(source: BusinessGreen)

19.03.10 Working together to standardise electric car recharging stations

Japanese auto, engineering and energy firms have formed a group with the aim of establishing an international standard for electric car fast-recharging stations. Fast-charge systems, which promise to recharge electric vehicles to around 80 per cent capacity within 15 minutes, are seen as essential to further adoption of electric vehicles. Currently Japan is home to around 150 fast-charge stations which are all largely use the same technology. The group, CHAdeMO, includes firms such as Toyota, Nissan, Mitsubishi, Fuji Heavy Industries and Tokyo Electric Power >>more

(source: Business Green)

16.03.10 New global lighting group

As the use of high-efficiency lighting can go a long way toward curbing emissions as well as energy costs, a new international consortium consisting of major lighting manufacturers are coming together to develop specifications for the standardization of LED light engines. The Zhaga Consortium, which includes OSRAM, Panasonic, Philips, Toshiba, and TRILUX, will enable the interchangeability of LED light engine products made by diverse manufacturers. This will foster industry innovation and the adoption of LED technology while preventing market fragmentation occurring with incompatible light engines >>more

(source: GreenerBuildings)

11.03.10 Deciphering the optimal heating and cooling system

The Solar Combi+ project helps identify a range of suitable combined solar water and space heating and cooling configurations that are independent of the specific products considered. Solar combi+ systems use heat from solar thermal collectors to provide heating in winter, cooling in summer and hot water all year round.

A new user friendly online tool is now available, which uses input in terms of collectors area and storage size, once climatic conditions, application and technical solutions to reduce the design effort for single applications >>more

(source: Solar Combi+)

08.03.10 OLED100.eu finalist for the Best ICT for Energy Efficiency Project Award

Organic Light-Emitting Diodes or OLEDs, which represent a paradigm shift in general purpose lighting, is one of the winners of the Best Information and Communication Technology (ICT) for Energy Efficiency Project Award, given by the European Commission. >>more

(source: European Commission)

05.03.10 Spain to transform telephone booths into EV recharging points

In Spain, underused telephone booths are to play a key role in the electric car revolution, as part of a test network of state-subsidised recharging points in Madrid, Barcelona and Seville. Due to their ideal location, close to the curb of the sidewalk, and having their own electricity supply, they are relatively easy to adapt. Additionally, those companies that can prove that they are using electric vehicles when tendering for public contracts will earn extra points. >> more

(source: Guardian)

03.03.10 ICTs agree to work together towards energy efficiency

Information and communication technologies (ICT) have come together to launch a new initiative, the ICT for Energy Efficiency (ICT4EE) Forum. Over the next three years, the ICT industries will work to develop ways of measuring the energy consumption of ICT processes and climate-friendly technologies. A voluntary framework for reporting on energy footprints and the identification of targets to improve the energy efficiency of their processes with a view to exceeding the EU's 2020 climate targets by 2015 was also agreed upon. >>more

(source: EurActiv)

February 2010

25.02.10 Bridging the gap between demand and eco-innovation

A report recommending the expansion of current EU demand-side innovation policy was released several months ago by the European Commission. It proposes the pre-announced use of demand-support measures and bringing together players from the market to indicate the characteristics of an innovation that they would be likely to buy, to address uncertainty in the eco-innovation market.

“Bridging the Valley of Death: public support for commercialisation of eco-innovation” analyses existing innovation procurement policies from within and outside the EU and contains investigated cases covering:

• white appliances (energy-efficient refrigerators, ovens, washing machines and tumble driers), components (high-efficient motors),
• housing (energy-efficient water mixers),
• office blocks (control and monitoring systems, sun shading technology and lighting systems), and
• public transportation (hydrogen buses).
>>more

(source: COWI / European Commission 2009)

23.02.10 Single EU strategy on clean and fuel-efficient vehicles will be published soon

The European Commission will table a proposal for a single EU strategy on clean and fuel-efficient cars by May this year, followed later by an action plan. Although electric vehicles have been a hot topic in discussions, the EU will not target a particular technology in their strategy. The strategy will remain technology-neutral and address all technologies, including hydrogen and biofuels, with the intention of increasing compatibility between national initiatives and enabling the smooth functioning of the European market.

Targeting specific technologies, such as electric vehicles, is an approach that environmental NGOs have not been supportive of. Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace, for instance, propose integrating electric cars with a "smart" electricity network to prevent manufacturers using the sales of electric vehicles to offset the continued production of high gas-consuming cars. >>more

(source: EurActiv / EUobserver.com 2010 / LexisNexis Publisher)

18.02.10 Innovation focused procurement in Europe – latest news online now!

New tools to assist sustainable procurement decision-makers and the start of new activities in Austria, the Czech Republic and Hungary are some of the news featured in the latest edition of the SMART SPP Update.

Procurement decision makers can now calculate life-cycle costs (LCC) and CO₂ emissions of different innovative products and services they are considering purchasing with the help of the new SMART SPP Tool. Training sessions on the tool will be held in Cascais and Torres Vedras, Portugal. Additional SMART SPP training and awareness raising initiatives have also begun in the Czech Republic and Hungary.

Encouraging greater early market engagement between public procurers and suppliers in the pre-procurement phase is essential to benefiting from what the market has to offer. That is why countries such as Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom and Denmark (and soon Austria) are now using pre-procurement methods for the purchasing of police vehicles to LED vending machines. >>more

17.02.10 Pay as you glow in Germany

Three German towns are cutting energy costs and carbon emissions by setting up street lighting on demand. Thanks to an idea set up by a local energy supplier and a follow up project, called Dial4Light, residents can turn the lights on as and when they are needed by making a phone call. >>more

(source: Environmental Technologies Action Plan)

12.02.10 Electric vans on the go in Leeds

As part of the city's commitment to the Lower Carbon Vehicle Public Procurement Programme (LCVPP), Leeds City Council in the United Kingdom recently placed its first order of electric vans for its municipal fleet. Leeds is one of the six local authorities involved in the UK Department for Transport's national programme, which aims to introduce low carbon vehicles into public sector fleets. >>more

(source: Smith Electric Vehciles newsletter January 2010)

09.02.10 Saving Energy and reducing costs with efficient servers - green IT strategy in practice

Energy demand in EU data centres has increased significantly over the last years. Between 2003 and 2006, energy consumption of server hardware and infrastructure has grown by about 35 percent. In Europe servers are currently the second largest energy consumer among IT equipment following TVs. Market development trends based on IDC data (2006-2011) indicate that energy demand in data centres will double from a current 37 TWh to 77 TWh by 2012 if no counteracting measures are taken. With concerted measures, about 12 billion euros in energy costs might be saved in the same period, which, compared to business as usual, is equal to energy savings of about 60 percent.

Efficient server hardware and software allows to reduce energy consumption and operating costs in both the IT system and cooling. There are currently several technological options available to improve energy efficiency of servers including efficient hardware components, power management as well software for server virtualisation.

The European project 'Efficient Servers' aims at demonstrating the high saving potentials due to efficient server technology in practice and at supporting the development of the market for energy efficient servers. Along with documenting good practice cases in this area, the project partners have also developed a set of guidelines for the procurement and management of energy efficient server hardware and infrastructure. >>more

(source: Efficient Servers project)

03.02.10 The electric car - is it here to stay this time?

The electric car finally seems to be on the verge of breaking through, offering significant environmental benefits, especially in urban areas. Innovative business models are on the way which should boost consumer acceptance and overcome the remaining barriers, such as high battery costs, green electricity supply and charging infrastructure.

Based on a critical literature review about the impacts on the environmental and the electricity market of a large scale introduction of electric cars in Europe, the European Environmental Agency, summarises the findings in a recently published article available on their website. >>more

(source: European Environmental Agency)

January 2010

26.01.10 Driving innovation through procurement – Guidance available in four languages

The first SMART SPP Tool and Guidance that help driving sustainable innovation through procurement are now available.

A practical guide explaining the steps for a public authority to take to encourage energy efficient innovation through public procurement, and an Excel tool (with a User Guide) for calculating both life-cycle costs (LCC) and CO₂ emissions in procurement have been published in four languages (English, Spanish, Portuguese and Danish).

Both, the Guide and the Tool are beta versions that will be finalised in early 2011 following their use by the SMART SPP public authority partners in their innovation focused public procurement actions. They are available for download at: www.smart-spp.eu/index.php

21.01.10 SMART SPP implementation phase kicks off in Austria

Prove Consulting and the ICLEI European Secretariat join forces on the implementation of the European project "SMART SPP – innovation through sustainable procurement" in Austria. The new partnership includes accompanying public authorities in the implementation phase of SMART SPP in Austria.

Together with the municipalities and central procurement offices specific tenders will be used to test the SMART SPP approach. Basic elements of this are the lawful integration of the market before the call for tenders to collect the most energy-efficient solutions as well as the use of a newly developed life cycle costing and CO₂-emission calculation tool.

In order to place the objective to increase energy efficiency through innovative public procurement on a broader basis, there will be co-operation with multipliers, such as the Städtebund (Association of Cities and Towns), the initiative WienWin of the WWFF and the Viennese IT cluster - VITE as well as exchange among existing initiatives

More information is available in the issued press release here:
www.smart-spp.eu/index.php?id=7055.

20.01.10 Call for Proposals: the Cleantech AdVenture!

Until 8 February 2010 business ideas and close to market R&D results can be submitted for the Heidelberger innovative forum, taking place on 22 April 2010 A goal of the meeting is the financing of technology-based start-ups and research projects. A broad spectrum will be covered within the Cleantech forum. The topics can range from Green IT and ICT innovations, energy efficiency, energy storage, renewable energies and white biotechnology to sustainable mobility and product recycling. Other ideas from additional fields of activity possible. Closing date for submissions is 8 February 2010. You can download the application form and find more information (in German) on the website: heidelberger-innovationsforum.de

18.01.10 Cree study shows LED lighting is best bet for energy efficiency

A new report on the life-cycle energy usage of energy-efficient lighting by Cree, Inc. shows that LED lighting products are now more efficient than traditional lighting products when compared across the high-volume applications of recessed downlighting and display spotlighting. Evaluating light fixtures and applications, the white paper’s energy comparisons demonstrate that LEDs offer clear advantages in terms of energy costs and environmental impact over traditional lighting such as incandescent, halogen and compact fluorescent bulbs. >>more

To view the entire study, please visit www.cree.com/lifecycle

11.01.10 European Commissioner links environmental performance and innovation

Stravos Dimas, the European Commissioner for Environment, stresses the economic possibilities as well as the environmental necessity for “smart green growth” in his blog.

Dimas identifies eco-technologies and services as a global market with strong growth. He outlines a coordinated package of measures which will be neccssary for Europe to retain its current leading position in the next ten years, where the market will double to €3 trillion.

In the Commission's vision, the shift to a low carbon economy also plays a central role. Furthermore, Dimas points out that improving environmental performance can trigger innovation, which also has positive economic impact. >>more

December 2009

17.12.09 OSRAM new OLED light source

Light, thin, non-glare and warm white - ORBEOS is the first OLED light source from OSRAM Opto Semiconductors for premium quality functional lighting. The new energy-efficient surface-emitting panel is especially suited to offices, private homes and shops, to name a few.

Today, over 20% of all the electric power produced on earth is used for lighting. The energy used to supply lighting produces greenhouse gases equal to 70% of the emissions from all the world's passenger cars.

OLED lighting is at least five times more efficient than conventional incandescent lighting. Widespread adoption of OLED lighting could actually result in a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions. Combined with sensors and information and communication technology (ICT) to implement 'smart-lighting', OLED lighting can further reduce energy consumption and deliver the highest quality of light. >>more

09.12.09 Innovate now, while keeping costs at a minimum

Local governments can now make smarter purchasing decisions with the latest guidance materials developed through the European SMART SPP project. The new publications explain how public procurement can be used as means for encouraging sustainable product innovation. The publication 'driving energy efficient innovation through procurement' guides local governments and public bodies on how to best engage with suppliers and design public tenders to obtain the most energy efficient solutions available in emerging markets.

Highly innovative product and service solutions can often come with higher purchase prices. Complementing the new publication, public authorities can now make more informed procurement decisions by being better equipped to calculate the costs of a potential new product over its life cycle and assess related carbon dioxide emissions. Both of these can be done by using the life-cycle costs (LCC) and CO₂ emissions Tool also developed through SMART SPP. At a time when public service employees are coming under increasing pressure to meet both financial and climate protection targets, the new guidance and tools should be just the solution needed. >>more

08.12.09 Europe's first Innovation Commissioner

Ireland's Máire Geoghegan Quinn has been handed the newly-created innovation portfolio at the European Commission.

The job is an expanded version of the old science and research post, and comes just months before the first European Innovation Act is due to be published. >>more

(source: EurActiv)

November 2009

25.11.09 How to avoid an electric shock?

Electric vehicles can play a role in cutting Europe’s carbon emissions but current EU legislation contains loopholes that are likely to lead to emissions and oil use going up, according to a new report published on the 12 November by the European NGO Transport & Environment (T & E). The report sheds light on the role that electric vehicles can play in the decarbonisation of transport by bringing the available scientific evidence to the attention of policy makers and the public.

In terms of greenhouse gas emissions, electric cars can help reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the transport sector provided that two conditions are met: first, they must be more energy-efficient than state-of-the-art conventional vehicles on a ‘tank to wheel’ basis; second, the electricity to power the cars must be sourced from renewable sources. The second condition is far from guaranteed and is one that has often been left out of recent national government commitments given for electric vehicles, particularly in the EU. >>more

Download report [pdf file]

(source: T&E)

16.11.09 European electricity firms line up behind plug-in cars

Europe's electricity suppliers have come together to push for a standardised recharging infrastructure for plug-in electric cars. The move will pave the way for consumers to refuel vehicles at charging stations across Europe. Padraig McManus, speaking on behalf of the electricity industry, said the hardware – the connector and cables – should be the same in every European country.

The commitment of CEOs from electricity companies to pressing ahead with practical preparations for electric vehicles was welcomed by Commissioner Tajani, who said the move will help put the EU at the forefront of new transport technologies. However, not all auto industry players agree on what the future of electric vehicles will look like. Some are investing heavily in plug-in cars, while others have invested in hydrogen and fuel cell technology.
>>more

(source: EurActive)

12.11.09 European patent office to study green innovation

The European Patent Office (EPO) has embarked on a detailed study to map the growth in eco-innovation since the introduction of the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. First results will be published in April 2010.

Business leaders are pinning their hopes on green innovation as a solution to the twin problems of climate change and the financial crisis. However, hard data in this area is scarce, making it difficult to quantify the true extent of Europe's eco-innovation sector. >>more

(source: EurActive)

06.11.09 110lmW Warm White LED for 1W and 3W Operation achieved

Taiwan-based Epistar has developed a technology to reach high CRI and high efficacy for warm white LED to replace the low efficacy incandescent light bulbs. Epistar's approach enables improvement of both efficacy and color rendering index (CRI) simultaneously.

The 1W package has the CRI of 90 and efficacy up to 110lm/W for lower voltage (15V) operation while the 3W package has the CRI of 90 and efficacy up to 105lm/W for higher voltage (50V) operation.Yellow-green phosphors were used in both 1W and 3W packages. These packages can be used in the E12/E14 candle light, E26/E27/GU10 light bulbs, PAR light and other applications for high efficacy warm white. >>more

(source: EPISTAR)

October 2009

28.10.09 Electric cars don't deserve halo yet: study

Reuters, 19 October 2009 - Electric cars will not be dramatically cleaner than autos powered by fossil fuels until they rely less on electricity produced from conventional coal-fired power plants, scientists said on Monday.

"For electric vehicles to become a major green alternative, the power fuel mix has to move away from coal, or cleaner coal technologies have to be developed," said Jared Cohon, the chair of a National Research Council report released on Monday called "Hidden Costs of Energy: Unpriced Consequences of Energy Production and Use." >>more

(source: WBCSD / Reuters)

12.10.09 New German agency to accelerate electric car research

The German government set up a new agency in the beginning of September to push the pace of electric car development after the auto industry missed out on chances to exploit its early breakthroughs with hybrid technology.

Annette Schavan, minister for research and education, said the agency would coordinate the efforts of 30 different research institutes and be funded with 44 million euros ($63.78 million) from the government's 81 billion euro stimulus package.

In August the German government set aside 500 million euros of funding for the construction of electric charging stations and programmes to boost battery technology in Europe's biggest car market >>more

(source: Climate Wire / Reuters)

05.10.09 Can the EU pave the way for electric cars?

Electric cars grabbed the headlines at the annual Frankfurt Motor Show earlier this month. But industry players are now looking to the EU to work through major challenges in battery technology, electricity infrastructure and consumer acceptance, according to an article published by EurActiv on 24 September.

Despite scepticism, there is a growing sense at industry and government levels that the planets are now aligned in a way that will bring electric vehicles from novelty concept cars to mass production. Meanwhile, regional and city authorities stand ready to roll out schemes supporting low-carbon cars but are fearful of backing the wrong horse until a dominant viable technology emerges.

For a newly appointed European Commission which will support the auto sector in finding innovative, marketable solutions, the challenge is to provide clear signals to industry, local government and consumers without pouring scarce public money into dead-end demonstration projects >>more

(source: EurActiv)

September 2009

28.09.09 Market entry parameters for OLEDs identified

OLEDs offer a large variety of design options with regards to shape, size and emissive colour. Within the OLED100 project an architectural and aesthetical research has been carried out to identify the most suitable market entry parameters. Especially for size and shape, existing standards and common building materials have been evaluated in this research project.

The results of the study indicate that a suitable OLED tile size could be 15 cm x 15 cm pitch size and multiples thereof. In general larger tiles were preferred over smaller ones. For the emissive white colour of OLEDs in residential environments the acceptable range was from warm white (3000 K) to neutral white (4000 K) which is good news for OLED technology because OLEDs show their best luminous efficacy at low colour temperatures. >>more

(source: OLED100.eu)

21.09.09 EU to promote clean energy with 'smart cities'

The EU's bid for leadership in green technologies will focus on developing a network of "smart cities" to demonstrate renewable and other low-carbon energies in Europe, according to draft European Commission proposals as published by EurActiv on 17 September. The recommendations are featured in a draft communication setting out funding for the EU's Strategic Energy Technology Plan (SET Plan).

"These 'Smart Cities' will be the nuclei from which smart networks, a new generation of buildings and alternative transport means, will develop into Europe-wide realities that will transform our energy system," the document states. The cities would become champions of energy efficiency and renewable energy, where electric cars are fuelled with renewables produced in the buildings for their electricity needs. The Commission hopes to start with "low-carbon zones" and move onto low-carbon cities and regions >>more

(source: EurActiv)

15.09.09 Learning from the Korean IT strategy

An interesting report published by ITIF (Information Technology and Innovation Foundation in the U.S) into South Korea's innovative green IT strategy explores the ways that South Korea is embracing green IT and sheds an interesting insight into what countries in the rest of the world could do to achieve similar goals. The Korean strategy addresses how to make the IT sector more energy efficient, how to use IT to transform society and how to pursue "green jobs".

The South Korean national government recently invested an extensive amount of money - equal to 2 percent of South Korea's GDP (USD 87.7 billion) in green investment - as part of its "Green New Deal" programme. The funds will go into investing in areas such as green IT products, building faster broadband networks, and investing in energy-efficient transportation systems. The remaining funds will be invested in R&D in 27 different green technologies, such as high-efficiency solar batteries, hybrid vehicles, high efficiency LEDs, and smart grid technology >>more [pdf file]

08.09.09 Read about the latest SMART SPP project news

The latest issue of the SMART SPP project newsletter (or Update) is out now and available online. Public authorities, such as local governments, and companies supplying to the public sector can read about the latest findings about how public procurement can be used as a mechanism for encouraging sustainable innovation, in terms of products and services.

LED and OLED technology for lighting (traffic, street and office) are one of four technologies considered as most promising for our climate (in terms of energy savings), according to the project's report on In-depth Identification of Emerging Technologies. Complementary to this information, public purchasers and suppliers can also read about current public sector practices for encouraging sustainable innovation, as well as gain an insight on what the main obstacles hindering the further development of innovative technologies are.

These outcomes are the groundwork for the start of the project's pilot phase where the consortium's public sector partners - Cities of Barcelona, Kolding, Cascais and Bromley, and the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation - will use the SMART SPP guidance to purchase innovative solutions for their cities >>read Update

02.09.09 Paris' electric car sharing plan

Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoë, building on the success of the city's popular Vélib curbside bike rental scheme, is planning to deploy a fleet of 2,000 electric cars that customers can pick up and drop off at rental stands around the city. Another 2,000 vehicles will be offered in two dozen surrounding cities.

The green scheme, dubbed Autolib (short for "automobile" and "liberté"), is scheduled for launch as early as the end of 2010. Advocates say the system would reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 22,000 tons a year while improving traffic congestion as fewer Paris residents would need to own cars. Paris would be the first major city to offer such a service. >>more

(source: Spiegel)

August 2009

28.08.09 Renewable energies meet electricity demand of growing electric vehicle fleet

Electric vehicles (EVs) are considered a highly promising environmental-friendly alternative to fossil fuel driven cars. However, EVs are only as ‘green’ as the electricity they are charged with. But do renewable energies produce enough electricity to meet the demand of a growing EVs fleet?

Jörg Mayer, executive director of the German Agency for Renewable Energies not only thinks this possible, but even emphasises: “Renewable energies are easily capable of meeting the electricity demand of a growing fleet of EVs.” As electric engines are much more efficient than combustion engines, the development of electric mobility will only marginally affect the overall electricity demand. According to Mayer only 14 % of the electricity currently produced with renewable energies would be enough to keep 10 million EVs running.

This is good news for the European project “SMART SPP – innovation through sustainable procurement”. Electric vehicle systems are in focus in this project which promotes the introduction of innovative technologies through sustainable public procurement. The city of Barcelona, the Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation (ESPO), and project associate partner Greater London Authority (GLA) have expressed an interest in EVs. SMART SPP will start early market engagement activities this year. Suppliers of electric vehicle systems are invited to express their interest by responding to the Prior Information Notice. >>more (in German)

10.08.09 London takes action on electric vehicles

There are currently 1,700 electric vehicles being used in London, a figure the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, wants to boost to 100,000 (or five percent of the capital’s fleet) as soon as possible.

The city-wide governing body for London, the Greater London Authority (GLA), is instrumental in the implementation of London's Action Plan on Electric Vehicles. London's commitment to this initiative has inspired the GLA to take part in the SMART SPP sustainable procurement actions by signing up as an Associate Partner in the project. >>more

05.08.09 Lighting the path to lower energy consumption

According to the OLED100.eu project, lighting now accounts for a quarter of Europe’s total energy consumption. Development of alternative lighting systems with greater energy efficiency will have an important impact on European energy consumption.

While current low energy and longer-life light bulbs offer energy savings by comparison with incandescent bulbs, they have drawbacks. In particular, hazardous materials, such as mercury, prevents such bulbs from being viable long-term solutions. Fortunately extensive research into low-energy lighting has uncovered new technologies that could revolutionise the sector. >>more

(source: ETAP website)

July 2009

28.07.09 Public procurement tipped to drive EU recovery

Public procurement should become the driver of new technology developments and the main vehicle for economic recovery, Malcolm Harbour, the new head of the European Parliament's internal market committee, told EurActiv in an interview (on 27 July).

"We have to encourage public buyers, who are buying infrastructure, energy solutions and so on, to be much more ambitious in using that investment to encourage new technologies and new business," Harbour told EurActiv. >>more

(source: EurActiv)

23.07.09 Procuring innovative solutions, guidance published by the OGC

The UK national government's Office of Government Commerce (OGC) is working to encourage and embed innovation in public sector purchasing in a number of ways. Guidance for public procurement practitioners on approaches such as 'early market engagement', and how to capture innovation, are available on OGC's website.

With its tremendous purchasing power, the public sector can provide a powerful incentive for business to develop innovative products, processes and services, achieve better value for money and drive forward improvements in the quality of public services. >>more

(source: OGC)

17.07.09 Businesses urged to embrace 'green innovation'

European companies risk missing out on 'green growth' by adopting a wait-and-see attitude, EU officials and business leaders have warned.

Karl Falkenberg, Director-General for Environment at the European Commission, said that Europe can no longer wait to accelerate the 'greening' of its economy.

Approaching the issue from the demand side, through green public procurement, by eliminating the worst-performing products from the market is one of the most viable solutions. >>more

(source: EurActiv)

14.07.09 Government rules spur race for energy-efficient incandescent lighting

Sales of incandescent light bulbs will be banned in the European Union and in the U.S starting in 2012. The British government has gone a step further by asking retailers to stop selling 75- and 100-watt bulbs as of 1 January this year. Lighting researchers are now racing to breathe new life into Thomas Edison's light bulb by improving the technology to make them more efficient. While on the other hand, researchers are also developing other lighting technologies, such as LEDs, for indoor lighting use. >>more

(source: World Business Council for Sustainable Development / International Herald Tribune)

08.07.09 Comment on the draft SMART SPP guidance

A draft guidance document on driving sustainable innovation through procurement, together with a combined life-cycle costing and CO₂ emissions assessment tool for procurement are now available for consultation.

If you are interested in providing feedback and comments on the guidance document or tool please write to procurement@iclei.org

The consultation round is open until 20 July.

03.07.09 Batteries included: Are eco-friendly cars any good?

The UK government has started to roll out a scheme to encourage British drivers to switch over to environmentally-friendly vehicles. From the Smart Electric Drive to the Expert Eurobus (formerly the Teepee), The Independent's John Walsh reports on his test drive of eco-friendly vehicles. >>more

(source: The Independent)

June 2009

29.06.09 Innovative solutions to high emissions from the ICT sector

The ICT industry is now responsible for 2% of global greenhouse gas emissions, putting it on par with the aviation industry. Given the expansion of the sector, it is expected that this figure will double by 2020. In an interview with the European Technologies Action Plan (ETA), Marc Benowitz, Director of Eco-Environmental Engineering at Alcatel-Lucent, speaks about the company's plans to improve the the impact on the environment through product design and energy-efficient networks. >>more

(source: European Commission, ETAP)

23.06.09 Future looks bright for LED lighting

According to an article published in the New York Times, the future of light emitting diodes (LED) lighting is looking, well, bright. The declining cost and dramatically superior energy efficiency of LED lighting is bringing it out of the shadows and into mainstream use.

Several North American cities, including Toronto, already use LEDs in outdoor settings such as streetlights and parking garages. Three major cities in the state of California - Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Jose-are also making the conversion.

According to a report by McKinsey & Company, converting to LED lighting is potentially the most cost effective of a number of simple approaches for using existing technology to cut emissions. >>more

(source: Responsible Purchasing Network / New York Times)

16.06.09 LED technologies shine through in German competition on energy efficiency

Approximately one third of the street lighting technologies used in Germany have been in use for over 20 years. With more than two tons of CO₂ emissions annually and an average energy consumption that equates the energy consumption of 1.2 million German households there is a real need for improvement in this field. In 2008 the German Federal Environment Ministry (BMU), the German Environment Agency (UBA) and the KfW Banking Consortium initiated a two-step competition to promote the use of energy efficient lighting technologies for streets.

Suppliers and manufacturers of such technologies were invited to present their most efficient and high-quality energy technology, as a first step. The most efficient of these technologies were included in a report, which saw the LED technologies scoring particularly well. Some scoring higher (than the average) on energy efficiency than the other competing technologies.

The report was then made available to communities which then competed in developing new energy efficient street lighting concepts, resulting in 18 winners across the country. The results of this competition demonstrate that a variety of energy efficient technologies are readily available for street lighting – good news for the early market engagement activities in the SMART SPP project. >>more (in German)

(source: Bundeswettbewerb Energieeffiziente Stadtbeleuchtung)

15.06.09 Torres Vedras joins piloting actions in SMART SPP

In Portugal, lighting systems and highly energy efficient electric vehicles (particularly passenger cars) have been identified as the most interesting products for pre-procurement activities through the SMART SPP project.

The Municipality of Torres Vedras has now become an associated public authority in the SMART SPP project, joining the other Portuguese partners, INETI and the Municipality of Cascais, in regional activities.

Contacts with the company Energia Viva/Exporlux, an LED lighting producer that offers financial services for initial investment costs and maintenance, were made at the start of 2009 and co-operation in pre-procurement actions is envisaged, namely via the trial of LED lighting in the streets of Cascais or Torres Vedras.

04.06.09 Tackling climate change through sustainable procurement, 22-23 October, Zürich

This year's international Procura⁺ Seminar - being held on 22-23 October in Zürich - will focus on how sustainable procurement can be used as a means for addressing climate change in the global and local environment. The programme will build on the key conclusions from the EcoProcura conference held in Reykjavik this March, by going into more detail about the following:

Approaches for embedding life-cycle costing and assessing CO₂ emissions in procurement processes
Market availability of highly energy efficient products
Harmonisation of sustainability criteria, including energy efficiency standards
Promoting low-emission new buildings and renovation

For more information and to register for the event, please visit the Procura⁺ Campaign website. >>more

May 2009

29.05.09 What do companies and public authorities need to drive innovative technologies?

Knowing about the obstacles hindering the procurement of innovative technologies - that is, highly energy efficient and environmentally friendly technologies - is an essential step towards facilitating their procurement in the future. Within the framework of the SMART SPP project a needs assessment was conducted to find out what public authorities and companies perceive to be the barriers to the procurement of such technologies. The findings of this assessment were compiled and evaluated in the report “Needs assessment to encourage innovation through procurement”, which is now available online.

The report analyses the necessary conditions for public authorities to enter into dialogues with the market and prepare well for procuring innovative technologies. Companies share their point of view on necessary adaptations to current tendering procedures to drive innovative technologies. Furthermore, the report includes information on how to successfully implement life-cycle costing and CO₂ assessment approaches – all of which can contribute to facilitating the procurement of innovative technologies. >>Download [pdf file]

20.05.09 Innovative emerging technologies providing high savings in energy

The latest report from the SMART SPP project providing in-depth information on innovative “emerging” technologies, that is, products and services not yet widely available on the market, is now available online.

An assessment was made to identify and assess emerging technologies that will provide high energy savings and can be seen as new and innovative. Four different product groups are presented in more detail in the report – these are: lighting solutions for traffic, street and office lighting (LED and OLED technology), electric and hybrid vehicles, heating and cooling systems using renewable energies and ICT solutions. The report highlights the advantages and disadvantages of the presented technologies, the product availability and timeframe for further R&D in the next 2-3 years, as well as the current and estimated future energy performance in relation to the current best available technology.

The assessment is based on extensive research, interviews with key manufacturers and suppliers, information gathered from expert seminars as well as feedback from the public authorities partnering in SMART SPP.
>> more

15.05.09 Break-through in OLED Technology

Researchers from the “Institut für Angewandte Photophysik” at the University of Dresden achieved a break-through in OLED technology. In the journal “Nature” the scientists reported how they succeeded in reaching the new efficiency record of 90 Lumen/Watt with the OLED technology. Comparatively, energy saving light bulbs reach 60 Lumen/ Watt and conventional light bulbs only 15 Lumen/Watt.

Their milestone result will be taken up by the industry. Companies such as Philips and Osram will most likely integrate the results in their own research aiming at improving stability and enhancing the life-time of the OLED diodes.
>>more (in German)

April 2009

28.04.09 Companies invited to respond to Prior Information Notice

The European project “SMART SPP – innovation through sustainable procurement” has issued a Prior Information Notice (PIN). It is available online at Tenders Electronic Daily (TED).

Interested suppliers and manufacturers of innovative highly energy efficient technologies are invited to contact the issuer of the PIN to register their interest in participating in the next stage i.e. market engagement. Technologies in focus include:

LED solutions for traffic lights, LED solutions for street lighting and (O)LED solutions for office lighting, including retrofitting solutions
Full EV solutions, including passenger cars and duty vehicles used in public authorities as well as complete system solutions, including plug-in EV and refilling stations
RES heating cooling solutions, including solar adsorption chiller for municipal buildings and other technology solutions currently in the end R&D phases
Solid State Technology based ICT equipment

Furthermore, the first SMART SPP technical report “Existing approaches to encourage innovation through procurement” has been published, reviewing early market engagement, risk management, life cycle costing and CO2eq monitoring tools and approaches, and concluding how best to drive innovation through sustainable procurement. >>Download [pdf file]

23.04.09 Significant environmental improvements by purchasing green ICT

Information and communication technologies can help curb global warming, but the sector is also coming under growing pressure from the EU to lead by example by cutting its own emissions, which are now comparable to that of the aviation sector.

According to the results of European research into the potential of green public procurement, the purchasing of more energy efficient desktop computers by European public authorities could result in savings of over 830,000 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. >>more

(source: EurActiv)

21.04.09 SMEs highlighted as 'quick path to market' for innovation

A leading French expert in technology transfer has highlighted research partnerships with SMEs (small and medium sized enterprises) as an efficient way to bring innovative new products to market. In an interview with EurActiv, Dr Bruno Sportisse, from the French National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control (INRIA), said working with SMEs may be challenging but can have a major impact. >>more

(source: EurActiv)

16.04.09 Guide from the Spanish Government for the procurement of innovative ICT

The Spanish national Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Trade - specifically the State Secretariat for Telecommunications and Information Society (SETSI) - and the Spanish Foundation Cotec for technological innovation published in 2008 a report on the "public procurement of innovative information and communication technologies (ICT)".

The report aims at facilitating the use of public sector purchasing as a tool to improve the efficiency of public services and foster innovation by analysing public procurement as a tool for innovation, the legal framework as well as the management and procedures for the procurement of innovative ICT (market engagement, contract procedures, buyers training).

The importance of public procurement of innovative ICT is, according to the report, based on the improvement of public administrations’ efficiency through more advanced solutions which ensure better services are provided to citizens.

>>Download (report in Spanish) [pdf file]

March 2009

23.03.09 MEP: Use procurement process to 'leverage innovation'

Public authorities should back innovative SMEs from the beginning of the procurement process, regardless of whether their product or service ultimately wins a public contract, MEP Malcolm Harbour (EPP-ED, UK) told EurActiv in an interview. >>more

(source: EurActiv)

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