Covenant of Companies

A long, cold winter is in prospect for Europe. As the European workforce returned to their desks for ‘La Rentrée’ this month following a record-breaking hot summer, Russia’s GazProm announced that gas supplies to Europe via the Nordstream pipeline would be shut down ‘indefinitely’. This news came in the context of already spiralling energy costs, which have seen natural gas prices rise tenfold from a year ago. Policymakers are scrambling. Businesses and consumers are hurting.

Never has it been so important for European businesses to seek alternative energy sources. While we face an enormous challenge in the short term, the longer-term prospect of an energy-independent, net zero European economy has never looked so bright. Thanks to initiatives like the Covenant of Companies, the Covenant of Mayors, Smart Cities Marketplace, the Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition, to name but a few, the European Commission is helping to shine a light on the path to our net zero future.

But there will be no net zero without SMEs. So make net zero your business today.

How can you and your business or organisation prepare for the energy transition? Join our movement! Read on to learn more about the Covenant of Companies, and the ways in which you can get involved.

This edition of the newsletter is 2000 words – or 6.5 minutes reading time.

Then apply to receive free of charge, tailored assistance from the Covenant’s team of experts in how to improve energy efficiency, shift to cleaner energy resources and save money on your utilities. Consult our webpage to find all useful information on the Call for Technical Assistance.

But hurry – applications close on 30 September.

Navigate on over to our application form now to apply!

In fact, there are 17 services to choose from, depending on applicants’ level of progress in their decarbonisation journey. You can find the complete list of services on offer in the Guide for applicants.

Entities who are still early in the process of exploring the possibilities to them can select any of the services in the ‘Explore’ category.

Entities who have already initiated a plan and are now in the process of identifying their priorities for implementation are in the ‘Shape’ phase of the journey, and can select services marked in this category.

Meanwhile, the most advanced entities who are seeking to enact their decarbonisation plan can select from any of the services marked in the ‘Act’ category.

Whatever stage your company is at, enrol now and let our experts guide you through the best actions that you can take to advance your business towards net zero!

"We need to keep up our work and our determination on all fronts: diversification of supplies, demand reduction and investments in renewables are essential to our plan to REPowerEU."

Read Commissioner Simson's full speech here.

Collapse of ice caps could provoke high sea level rise; the breakdown of Gulf Stream currents could disrupt weather patterns with huge implications for the growth of crops; and an abrupt melting of permafrost, unlocking vast quantities of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere are just some of the climate tipping points that could lay in wait, according to the new study.

The findings highlight the existential need for humanity to move towards a decarbonised economy as soon as possible. Read more…

Among other things, the paper looks at how information can make urban energy systems smarter. Digitalisation can play a key role in integrating new assets such as renewable energy into energy grids, thanks to better technologies and data.

Interested to learn more about how digitalisation can help decarbonise our cities’ energy supplies? Read the full report.

But for this German bakery, Europe’s net zero future has already arrived.

The company’s energy efficiency starts with its ovens, whose gas supply has been substituted for a 100% biomass system. It also has a hyper-efficient refrigeration system, whose compressors use recooled water rather than air, saving 80-85% of energy compared to traditional refrigeration. Thirdly, the bakery recovers the heat from its ovens, which it uses for its entire heating and hot water needs.

Adding to these on-premise measures, the company’s climate friendly fleet of electric and natural gas vehicles to deliver to its subsidiaries, and that adds up to a total carbon emissions saving of over 90% and more than 50% reduction in energy use.

Learn more about Ihr Bäcker Schüren and discover other best practices at the European Resource Efficiency Knowledge Centre.

Chief among the recommendations include turning down the thermostat, substituting private vehicles for public transport, cycling or walking shorter distances and reducing your speed when driving.

Read the full article for more details.

Sessions will focus on sustainable energy issues, and debate new policy developments, best practices and sustainable energy ideas. Alongside the conference, networking opportunities will gather the EUSEW community onsite and online to forge alliances while the EUSEW Awards celebrate outstanding individuals, projects and ideas.

The best part is, members of the Covenant of Companies Secretariat will be in attendance to answer any qustions about the Covenant and our technical assistance programme in person!

Register now to join us at European Sustainable Energy Week 2022!

Join us at the SME Assembly on Tuesday, 29 November, where the Covenant of Companies will be participating in a session on Europe's road to a net zero economy! More information will be available via the Promoting Enterprise blog, so be sure to check back in the coming weeks.

Check out Wall Street Journal reporter Jenny Strasburg's tweet below:

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The webinar provides practical information from the European Commission, the CCCE Consortium and SME Climate Hub, on why you should apply for the first call for technical assistance and how. Watch it again now: