The European Union has embarked upon the discovery of new tools and technologies for determining progress, wealth and growth in nations. Current measurement of GDP alone is highly focused upon economic factors. However, as most energy producers and energy efficiency industries know, environmental factors and non-economic indicators are considerable contributors toward progress and growth.

The idea is not new, many people have thought about this for quite some time. However, bringing it to action has been a sticking point that has avoided the pursuit of this information more diligently and the development of tools and technologies for assessing efficiency and progress.

The so called ‘new approach‘ has direct implications for many energy producers and energy products, since, they can be further assessed for non-tangible contributions to society, some of which, are often over-looked.

The process of developing energy includes the development of technologies and processes throughout the planning stages that contribute toward an understanding of regional water tables, climates, geology, distribution factors and a host of other information. Some of this information is held in a proprietary sense, however, cases can be made for the contributions of certain types of energy related information to regional policy and understanding. Many of these avenues have not often been explored, but identify valuable contributions toward wider regional development and policy making.

The European Commission has adopted ecodesign regulations that are expected to save the equivalent amount energy that Sweden and Austria together produce.  The regulations are also expected to contribute significantly to employment as innovation will result in new jobs.

From the EU – “The European Commission adopted today four ecodesign regulations ¹ to improve the energy efficiency of industrial motors, circulators, televisions, refrigerators and freezers. The regulations lay down energy efficiency requirements which will save about 190 TWh per year by 2020, which is comparable to the combined annual electricity consumption of Sweden and Austria.”

With COP15 quickly approaching later in the year in Copenhagen, the European Commission has formally adopted a Resolution on Climate Change.

From the EU – On 4 February, the European Parliament passed a resolution setting out clear objectives for EU climate-change policy. The report, entitled ‘2050: The future begins today – recommendations for the EU’s future integrated policy on climate change’, underlines the importance of cutting greenhouse gas emissions in developed countries from 1990 levels: by 25% to 40% for 2020, and by 80% for 2050. The resolution was adopted with 570 votes in favour, 78 against and 24 abstentions.

Barack Obama placed a good deal of emphasis on energy and the environment in his inauguration speech. These words are backed by an agenda that can be viewed on White House website. The emphasis is on clean energy and a break from our dependence on foreign oil, with the audacious goal of eliminating oil from the Middle East and Venezuela within 10 years.