News
Off the menu: are gas cooking appliances on their way out?
The European Commission now has an opportunity to phase out gas cooking in the EU households as it reviews the ecodesign rules for domestic cooking appliances. Doing so would slash CO2 emissions, and dramatically improve indoor air quality. It’s simple: gas cooking pollutes the air we breathe at home. Pollution from gas hobs and stoves contributes […]
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Do portable air purifiers really work?
Air pollution is one of the major risk factors for serious diseases and premature death, and as most Europeans spend over 90% of their lives indoors, a good indoor climate is important. That’s why Green Transition Denmark (a Coolproducts member), the Danish Technological Institute and the Danish Consumer Council have carried out a study on […]
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Less despair, more repair: EU smartphone and tablet regulations need to become airtight
The European Commission recently published the draft smartphone and tablet proposals, expected to make our devices longer-lasting, easier to repair, and the best performing models easier to identify. However, the screws still need tightening to push the tech industry towards making devices repairable for the benefits of both consumers and the environment. Nearly 20 years […]
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Out of the woods – How can ecodesign reduce the negative impacts of solid fuel heating?
Home heating appliances are high on the EU policy agenda. With energy prices soaring, and as leaders look for energy sources alternative to Russia, many look for ways to switch off their gas boilers… but stay warm this winter. In this scenario, demand for biomass heating appliances is on the rise. Biomass heating systems to burn […]
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Pioneering ecodesign rules could make solar energy even cleaner
A new European Commission proposal for ecodesign and energy labelling rules for photovoltaic panels (PVs) and inverters takes promising steps to make solar energy even cleaner, as panels are set to generate an ever-increasing proportion of Europe’s energy supply. A pioneering carbon footprint threshold for solar panels is also on the cards Pioneering ecodesign rules […]
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Long-term vision wanted: energy efficiency (not gas purchases) will get us through future winters
Emergency plans are necessary to keep Europe running this winter. But EU leaders should keep sight of our long-term needs: energy independence, affordable bills, and meeting our climate commitments. Energy savings must be at the heart of these plans. We have the tools: Ecodesign and energy labelling, the phase-out of gas boilers, smart grid deployment, […]
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Ban for good: end of fossil fuel boiler can pave EU’s way out of Russian gas
A blanket ban of gas and oil boilers can slash EU’s imports of Putin’s gas by up to 28%, the latest Coolproducts study finds [1]. Silver bullets do not exist in policy-making, but the renewable heating bullet is as silver as it can get: supporting EU security, tackling energy poverty, all the while clearing national […]
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Fossilised: is fossil heating finally becoming a thing of the past?
Soon, fossil fuel boilers could be consigned to history. First, as part of REPowerEU, the Commission suggested that new fossil heating appliances would be off the market as of 2029. In addition, the draft Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) sets 2035 as the final year for fossil fuel heating to be allowed at all. […]
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Overcoming the real bottlenecks to European renewable transition
The EU is looking to lower the barriers to renewable energy investment and adoption to urgently divert away from Russian gas. However, the solution proposed is endangering environmental standards, instead of tackling long-standing bottlenecks in technical, human, and financial resources, writes Bich Dao. Ukraine’s ravaging devastation has made turning off the Russian gas tap to […]
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Out of the woods: Using ecodesign to reduce the negative impacts of solid fuel heating – New report
The path towards heating decarbonisation is paved with highly efficient electric heat pumps and solar energy. Nonetheless, some see a role for biomass in the transition, considering it a renewable solution. Is it though? In a new Coolproducts report, ECOS experts offer recommendations on how solid fuel heating can become a rarely used solution in […]
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