Europeans mandate public-sector Energy Star purchases
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(InfoWorld) - All public-sector purchasers of office equipment in Europe will in future be obliged to buy brands that carry theÂ Energy StarÂ logo, the environmental quality standard agreed on by the U.S. and the European Union, following a vote in the European Parliament Tuesday. "This regulation gives us the perfect opportunity to introduce a novelty: for the first time in E.U. history, common energy efficiency specifications for public procurement will apply to all member states and the European institutions," said Nikolaos Vakalis, the member of the European Parliament who led the debate. In addition to making the Energy Star logo obligatory for public procurements of equipment, the new law formalizes an agreement reached last December with the U.S. government to extend theÂ Energy Star planÂ for another five years, with higher energy efficiency requirements than those in place now. The European Commission initiated the Energy Star plan in 2001 but it took a long time to gain acceptance in the market. In 2003 the U.S. joined the plan and a database of companies that met the required standards was created. Since 2003 more firms have been striving to join the Energy Star plan and the energy efficiency requirements for various office tools including PCs, printers, and copiers, have been raised. Today the database includes 17 makers of laptops, 18 desktop manufacturers, 15 printer makers and four scanner manufacturers. The E.U. and U.S. agreement signed in December is expected to yield 30 terawatt-hours in electricity savings -- the approximate equivalent of the annual electricity demand in Hungary -- in the E.U. over the next three years.
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Banks, grocery stores, and Uncle Sam are among the top U.S. purchasers of power from alternative sources like wind, solar, geothermal and hydro, federal environment regulators said this week.
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The European Commission is to detail wide-ranging proposals for achieving its goals on climate and energy.
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The European Union is looking to join other parts of the world in efforts to slash energy consumption by pushing for an increased use of energy-saving light bulbs. European leaders agreed Friday to ask the EU's executive arm to work out a plan over the next two years on how to promote the use of energy-saving light bulbs, following the example of Australia, Chile and other countries phasing out incandescent lamps.
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European regulators on Thursday approved the takeover of Spain's largest utility Endesa by Acciona and Italian utility Enel.
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Five EU countries sign a deal to link their power grids and make it easier to trade electricity across borders.
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The European market is hot, so the solar technology company plans to expand there.
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European Union leaders were on the  brink of agreeing on Thursday to set a binding pan-European  target for renewable energy sources as part of an ambitious  strategy to fight climate change.
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An EU directive adopted last year mandates recycling rates for batteries, but consumer habits are making it hard for member states to comply.
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The European Commission launched a drive to boost consumer confidence in buying online, amid signs of mistrust about making cross-border purchases over the Internet.
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European Union leaders are on the brink of striking an agreement on Friday to set a binding pan-European target for renewable energy sources as part of an ambitious strategy to fight climate change.Comment
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Europe's programme for funding scientific research in the member states is a step closer to being adopted.
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The European market rules will force deals to be made one country at a time.
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A push into the solar sector could benefit the company.
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ÃlectricitÃ© de France, the French national electric utility, will team up with Constellation Energy to build and operate nuclear power plants in the U.S. and Canada.
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The U.S. Conference of Mayors has endorsed the Environmental Protection Agency's Energy Star program aimed at cutting U.S. energy use by 10 percent.  The mayor said the EPA's program could be a key strategy in meeting the goals of the conference's Climate Protection Agreement.
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Italian electricity group Enel has bought 10 percent of Spanish utility Endesa and wants up to 24.99 percent of the company under a plan that appears to enjoy political support in Madrid and Rome.