| 1. EKOenergy's Annual Report 2023 - Together we are unstoppable |
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Our label is a concrete tool for individuals, companies, and public entities to transition away from fossil fuels and help others do the same. You can read about the various dimensions of our work and our concrete achievements in our annual report: EKOenergy ecolabel in 2023 - Together we are unstoppable. It is full of inspiring actions and achievements, all of these small but hopeful victories in the transition to 100% renewable energy.
EKOenergy consumers are inspiring others, and that helps us grow year after year. In 2023 we funded more Climate Fund projects than ever before, we supported the #Renewable4Ukraine campaign, we continue automating our processes to enable more consumers to switch to EKOenergy faster, and much more!
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 2023 gives us the vigour to continue with the same enthusiasm in 2024 and we hope that all of you will join.
If you aren't an EKOenergy user yet, we invite you to become one. If you are using EKOenergy-labelled electricity already, thanks so much, and feel free to inform your audience about it. The energy transition doesn't just happen but comes about as the result of the efforts of millions of people, including you. Together, we can and will phase out fossil fuels fast, fair, and forever. |
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| "Looking back at the collaborations and achievements we've shared, it has been a pleasure working with EKOenergy. Your dedication and commitment to advancing sustainable energy solutions have truly made a positive impact. As we reflect on our successful partnership, we're excited about the opportunities that we have ahead." - One of our authorised sellers, via email |
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| 2. Ongoing review of EKOenergy's criteria for renewable gas |
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EKOenergy’s criteria for renewable gas exist since 2017. In 2022, we updated the chapter about raw materials allowed for producing EKOenergy-labelled biogas. In 2023, we initiated a more encompassing review involving all aspects of the gas criteria.
You can find the current version of the draft for the new criteria here.
For most of the aspects our label covers, the changes relate mainly to wording, not content. One exception is the issue of gas leakage into the atmosphere. The global warming potential of methane and hydrogen is many times bigger than that of carbon dioxide. Even relatively small amounts of leaked gas can, therefore, undermine the climate benefits of biogas. In the new draft, we suggest adding a paragraph requiring the operator of the gasification installation to submit a description of measures taken to detect and avoid gas leakage into the atmosphere.
We would love to hear your thoughts and suggestions! |
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| "This year marks a decade since we started using EKOenergy, supplied by Porvoon Energia. EKOenergy is the only international ecolabel for electricity." - Brunberg, a Finnish producer of high-quality sweets, looking back on the past year on LinkedIn |
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| 3. REC Market Meeting - Valuing consumer action |
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As in previous years, EKOenergy is a proud supporting association of the REC Market Meeting conference.
This year's edition takes place on the 16th and 17th of April. The location is Amsterdam, the Netherlands, as with the previous editions. Together with the organisers, we want to ensure that 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.
Check out the clear conference brochure or see the conference website. If you are interested, take advantage of the early bird registration opportunity, which ends on the 31st of January! |
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| 4. Welcome back to the team, Margarita |
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We are happy to welcome Margarita Churaeva, from Portugal, back to our team. From August 2022 to July 2023, Margarita worked at our Secretariat as a European Solidarity Corps volunteer.
She has now rejoined the team to help us with several ongoing projects, including the 2024 audits, the next steps in developing our EKOdirect database, the review of our criteria for biogas, and more.
As a native Portuguese speaker, Margarita can also provide Portuguese-speaking companies with communication materials about EKOenergy. You can reach Margarita at [email protected]. |
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| 5. News from previously funded solar projects |
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For every megawatt-hour of EKOenergy, €0.10 is allocated to fund renewable energy projects in low- and middle-income countries. All funded projects aim to enhance the living conditions of disadvantaged communities and contribute to achieving multiple Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
In recent weeks, we received and shared news from several previously funded projects.
- The Colombian nonprofit organisation Ecoceanos is installing a 9.5 kWp solar system in an off-grid community of Zenú indigenous people in northern Colombia's dry tropical forests.
- Thanks to a grant from EKOenergy's Climate Fund, the US-based NGO Green Empowerment and the Ugandan NGO The Victim Relief Alliance are collaborating with farmers in the Terego district, Uganda, to develop a solar-powered honey processing plant. Green Empowerment posted photos of the project's progress on Instagram and various other social media channels.
- On our LinkedIn, we shared some recent photos of solar panel transports to remote and difficult-to-reach villages and communities we support this year.
- We published a new Climate Stories leaflet, about Renewable World's Clean Energy for Health initiative. In 2022, we granted €33,000 to help them bring solar power to clinics in Kenya's energy-deprived Kajiado West area. For many more Climate Stories leaflets, see the Climate Stories page of our website. |
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| "Because there is limited electricity access in the area, beekeeping can be very time-consuming and physically demanding. Some farmers must rely on the use of hand crank extractors, while others who entirely lack access to honey-extracting equipment are forced to sell their unprocessed honey to intermediaries at around 50% below the market price." - Julia Einaudi, Green Empowerment, in an article about a solar project co-funded by EKOenergy |
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| 6. Annual audit of our authorised sellers |
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EKOenergy's Secretariat has now started the audit of the EKOenergy-labelled volumes of 2023. 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.
EKOenergy's internationally protected logo can only be used by the consumers of EKOenergy-labelled energy and by our authorised sellers and service providers to promote and sell energy that fulfils our criteria.
As part of the audit process, we also issue proofs of EKOenergy consumption for corporate users. We send these proofs to our authorised sellers, who transfer them to their EKOenergy clients.
If you are an authorized seller or service provider and have any doubts about the process, feel free to get in touch at any time! |
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| "Customers who contract our electricity tariffs with the EKOenergy label take an extra step and contribute to the financing of sustainable projects and thus combat energy poverty. " - Jorge González Cortés, Vice President of the EKOenergy authorised energy supplier Gesternova, in an interview on ethic.es. Thanks for mentioning EKOenergy! |
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| 7. Reminder: Two open calls and one job vacancy |
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- We have launched a call for Climate Fund projects: renewable energy projects in low- and middle-income countries. This time, we can support 15 to 20 wind and solar energy projects of up to €60,000 each. We welcome experienced nonprofit organisations to submit project proposals by February 10th, 2024. Check out our website for more information.
- We also have an open call for river restoration projects in Germany, Norway, and Sweden. We aim to finance two to three river restoration projects with this new call. The maximum grant per project will be €30,000, and the principal applicant must be a registered non-profit NGO. EKOenergy's funding can also be used for projects that are part of a larger restoration initiative but are a distinct, separately reportable activity.
- We have a vacancy for a B2B Key Account Manager to strengthen our international team in Helsinki, Finland. Are you passionate about sustainability and corporate responsibility, and do you have experience in B2B sales and marketing? Check out the vacancy on our website. While you do not need to be an expert in the energy market, you should be willing to learn and have a go-get attitude. You will have a supportive team backing you up, but we expect you to work independently. |
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| 8. EKOenergy on social media |
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Stay connected with EKOenergy on social media to receive relevant updates on the global climate crisis, renewable energy, and climate action. By reacting to our posts occasionally, you help us spread our message and ensure that our future posts will also show up in your feed.
Here are some of our recent posts:
- In 2023, 33 (!) more energy companies and sustainability consultants became authorised EKOenergy sellers. With headquarters in 24 (!) countries, from all (inhabited) continents. (From our LinkedIn)
- EKOenergy's materials are available in many languages. Don't hesitate to get in touch if you need texts about EKOenergy for your audience! (From our LinkedIn)
- Last week, EKO-Johannes and EKO-Steven visited Olvi, a Finnish brewery powered with EKOenergy-labelled electricity. They returned with a bag full of beers #madewithEKOenergy (thanks, Olvi!) and today we opened some of these to celebrate the many achievements of the past weeks. (From our Instagram)
- End-of-the-year lunch with the EKOenergy team. Together, we achieved many concrete results in 2023! Thanks a lot to all of you who supported us in one way or another. We are looking forward to more of this in 2024. (From our Instagram)
- Minus 16° (celsius) and a strong wind, but here we are! It is a new year, but our demands and hopes are still the same. (From our X) |
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| 9. Climate hope: Renewable energy smashes records all over the world |
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Throughout 2023, the hottest year in recorded history, Big Oil shamelessly continued to rake up profits and used a considerable share of these to promote its planet-heating business model. However, there is also reason for hope. In the past few weeks, the announcement of renewable energy records in 2023 quickly followed each other. Here are some.
- Renewable energy supplied 61% of the electricity in Portugal in 2023, totaling 31.2 TWh, the highest ever recorded in the country.
- China leads the global renewables race with 230 GW installations in 2023.
- More than a million new solar power systems generating 14 GW of energy were installed in Germany last year, up 85% year-on-year, thanks to a boom in residential solar demand.
- Poland produced a record 26% of electricity from renewables in 2023, up from 19.3% the previous year.
- The US installed more solar in 2023 than ever before. The industry saw 55% growth over 2022.
- And many more! |
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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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