VCI & IW FORUM: Making the Green Deal work for the European Industry

VCI and IW Webinar: Making the Green Deal work for European Industry
on 20th May 2020 from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m.

Discussion with Thor-Sten Vertmann, Member of Cabinet of Commissioner Kadri Simson, and representatives of industry and NGOs on the question:

“How to satisfy the energy demand in a climate neutral Europe?”

The COVID-19 pandemic drastically reshaped the political arena. According to the European Commission, the Green Deal will be the lifeline out of the crisis. It will be the essential growth strategy, starting up the economy in a more sustainable and circular way. In this regard, the 2050 greenhouse gas neutrality target will be more challenging – and important – than ever. Accordingly, industrial and production processes will need to be increasingly electrified and other sectors such as mobility coupled with the electricity system. However, for the transformation to have the desired environmental impact, electricity generation itself must be decarbonised, too. As green electricity demand in the EU will increase many times, electricity prices will become even more relevant for sustained industrial competitiveness. Against this background, the webinar will look at

1) How will European electricity demand develop over the next decades?
2) How can sufficient provision of sustainable electricity best be achieved?
3) How to ensure energy prices that keep European industry competitive?

Moderation:Roland Kube (Senior Economist, IW)

Speakers:

• Doreen Fedrigo (Industrial Transformation Policy Coordinator, Climate Action Network, CAN)
• Jörg Rothermel (Head of Department Energy, Climate Protection and Raw Materials, VCI)
• Thor-Sten Vertmann (Member of Cabinet Commissioner Kadri Simson)

Downloads

• Presentation for the webinarPDF | 2 MB | Stand: 25. Mai 2020
• Audio recording of the webinarMP4 | 96 MB | Stand: 25. Mai 2020

Our main conclusions from the webinar are:

1) There will be a significant increase in the demand for renewable electricity at affordable prices.

2) Energy efficiency will play a key-role in the transformation process towards a climate neutral Europe.

3) Demand for hydrogen and other renewable gases will increase significantly. Therefore, transport network efficiency need to be strongly improved.

4) Decarbonisation must take place at all levels and in all sectors.