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.
