European American Chamber of Commerce Texas’ Post

European Commission Vice President Maroš Šefčovič addressing the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group Forum. He makes a number of recommendations including the need to be less dogmatic, to be more pragmatic about technologies needed to achieve clean transitions, to be in other words technology-neutral and consider all sources of low-carbon energy including Small Modular Reactors which could play a key role in Europe's decarbonization. (scroll to about 20min into the speech for this part).

Thank you for sharing Festus Brew Quansah on post by Henri PAILLERE .   Indeed it is encouraging to note that European Commission Executive Vice President Maroš Šefčovič has made very crucial recommendations for consideration of key technologies assuming crucial role in decarbonization including highlighting SMRs.   However as with many SMRs designs anticipated to be in the market only in or after 2030s and the declaration of 22 world leaders at cop28 for the urgent need to triple nuclear capacity ie from 370GWe ( as of 1st Dec 2023) as announced DG International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Rafael Mariano Grossi in delivering the IAEA Statement in Dubai on 1st Dec 2023...this requires nuclear capacity to be ramped up to 1110 GWe...nearly 740GWe more by 2050.   From present 2024 to 2050...there remains about 25 years ..a duration of construction of present available of/ for large reactors 1000Mwe and more including Westinghouse AP-1000, Koreas APR-1400, French EPR 1600, Russian and Chinese designs including Hualong One to contribute to this urgent need to increase 740 GWe.   And from 2030 to 2050 about 20 years construction time available for SMRs..if these designs do appear as anticipated in 2030s...with much much smaller capacities   Hence as SMRs which is expected to be in market only much later..it is imperative to not exclude the key role of the present readily available large reactors and to also include these into discussions, deliberations and recommendations as key contributors for decarbonization.   A case in point, during the International Conference on Climate Change and the Role of Nuclear power organized by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna 2023, Dr Fatih Birol ED International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) had outlined that for nuclear to contribute to net zero goals, these are key factors 1. Continue construction of large reactors 2. Extend lifetime of present operating reactors 3. Invest in innovation including SMR   but with the fundamental importance of building on time and within budget! Thus it is within this context that I hope I may with due respect propose for the European Commission Executive VP Maroš Šefčovič to please consider rephrasing the Keynote Address from “SMRs” to just ”nuclear reactors” or as the event was on SMRs to rephrase it to " nuclear reactors including SMRs" recognizing the key role that large reactors have and continue to play in reducing global carbon footprint in particular as Maroš Šefčovič had recommended the EIB to finance SMRs, which very importantly should large reactors too in the banks financing policy.   This present pre-occupation with SMRs must must not imply nor cause the exclusion or marginalization of large reactors as equally important to decarbonization.

#Industry | European industry faces major challenges today: it must transform in the next decade to align with the European Green Deal objectives; it needs to define and better integrate the strategic autonomy objective; it must agree and pursue policies for its long-term competitiveness. 🔸 How to promote clean manufacturing in global markets? This is what we are discussing today at a conference in #Brussels organized by leading think tanks from three countries: IDDRI (France), Agora Industry (Germany) and Forum Energii (Poland). Forum president Joanna Pandera PhD points out that the starting point for industrial transformation is different in each European country. 🔸 Learn more about our event! ▶ https://lnkd.in/ggEYp9Fu

Our colleague Daria van der Heijden attended an interesting seminar on doing business in the U.S.A. This event on April 17th was hosted by AVAG | Greenhouse Technology Center, EACC NL (European American Chamber of Commerce Netherlands), and NLinBusiness.com. Here are the key takeaways: 🇺🇸 Several USA specialists delved into the challenges that companies may encounter when entering the U.S. market and offered tailored solutions 🇺🇸 Officials from Georgia and Ohio provided valuable perspectives on regional economic growth 🇺🇸 Andrew Moffat from the US Embassy The Hague discussed the impact of the Inflation Reduction Act and the doors it opens for businesses in renewable energy, EVs & infrastructure 🇺🇸 The U.S. Embassy encouraged attendance to Select USA Investment Summit, this June in Fort Washington. For Dutch entrepreneurs, there's even more reason to get involved! A Georgia spin-off event tailored specifically for Dutch visitors is on the horizon, perfectly timed with the Dutch Royal visit scheduled for the first half of June. This seminar provided valuable insights for those considering the U.S. market. Interested? Reach out to the US Embassy The Hague for further guidance. #DutchGreenhouseDelta #BusinessOpportunities #USEconomy #InternationalBusiness

Be part of world-leading discussions taking place in the South West this year on key issues and opportunities relating to the transition to a clean economy. Secure your seat at the South West Development Commission's much-anticipated Innovative Industries of the Future (IIF) Conference. Don’t miss your opportunity to join influential leaders in industry, research, enterprise and government at this globally-significant event being held over two thought-provoking days in Bunbury. Our quality line-up of guest speakers will share critical insights relating to the policies, strategies and markets emerging from the clean energy future, including in relation to critical minerals, renewables and advanced manufacturing. Attend and hear expert perspectives on how we can collectively seize opportunities and address complex problems in a rapidly changing environment. This conference will spark essential conversations on a range of topics – from examining how we support growth through accelerating skills and sector uplift to taking a close up look at how we ensure local content and procurement in the clean industry economy on the path to net zero + MORE. IIF is a South West Development Commission event. We look forward to seeing you at our conference taking place over November 5 and 6 2024 at the Bunbury Regional Entertainment Centre, in Western Australia’s premium wine and tourist region. Secure your discounted early bird tickets. Register now – https://lnkd.in/gKb4Z32g. Sign up for updates including our forthcoming speaker announcements – www.swdc.wa.gov.au. Allison Christou Ashley Clements Corina Docking AFAIM Julie Broad Mat Lewis Mellisa Teede Pip Kirby Renaee Giles Steve de Meillon Tony Fletcher

Last week Rud Pedersen Public Affairs Brussels took part in the EU Industry Days in Malaga. See below a few reflections on the main priorities and concerns expressed by businesses on the way ahead for the EU's industrial policy and its sustainable, digital and resilient future: 1️⃣ Industrial policy has become a matter of European and national #security in the midst of fierce global competition. 2️⃣ Defending #competitiveness of the EU industry while scaling up sustainability necessitates harmonisation in standards between Member States. 3️⃣ Becoming a leader in #cleantech will involve the entire supply chain – from secure access to raw materials to clean energy, as well as deployment of green technologies. 4️⃣ Finding ways to work together with #Ukraine is the next step in the expansion of the #EUsinglemarket. 5️⃣ As per the European Commission, Europe will require targeted #investments of more than 700 billion euros a year until 2030 to meet its energy transition goals to fight climate change. Europe will need to mobilise funding from public lenders and commercial banks to meet these investment goals. To find out more about how RPPA can help your organisation or business anticipate, adapt, and engage in this context of change for European industry, please get in touch!

M-ERA NET – Joint Call 2024 (International) The aim of this call is to fund ambitious transnational RTD projects addressing materials research and innovation, including materials for batteries and low carbon energy technologies. Deadline: Pre-proposal 14 May 2024 | Full proposal 20 November 2024 Funding: depending on country. Regional/national funding. One country cannot exceed 70% of the total project efforts (measured in person months). One single applicant cannot exceed 60% of the total project efforts. Total budget: €35M Project duration: 3 years Participating countries: Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, South Africa, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Türkey https://lnkd.in/enfP6KHQ

Save the Date 📅 The Energy Potential of the Baltic Sea 🌊 Join us on December 6th at 12:00 in the European Parliament for a groundbreaking event delving into "The Energy Potential of the Baltic Sea: A Regional Innovation Valley and Closer Cooperation Among Nations." 🚀 Hosted by the MEP Riho Terras, this event is a collaboration between influential organizations committed to fostering innovation Związek Przedsiębiorców i Pracodawców / Union of Entrepreneurs and Employers, SME Connect, Warsaw Enterprise Institute (WEI), and European Enterprise Alliance. 🤝 🗓️ December 6th, 2023 🕛 12:00 PM 📍 Venue: 🏰 European Parliament 🔍 Key Themes: • Geopolitical and Economic Importance of the Baltic Sea 🌍 • Prospects for Development and Cooperation in the Baltic and Nordic Region • Investment Opportunities in the Baltic Basin: A Comprehensive Analysis • Challenges in Energy and Physical Security: Fostering Regional Cooperation

Last week, European Commission President von der Leyen convened the Global Gateway Forum in Brussels, gathering over 40 Heads of State and Government from the EU and partner countries, representatives from EIB, EBRD and other international financial institutions. To mark the occasion, our EU funding experts Renato Giacon, Marina Kisvarday and Martyna Dunin took a deep dive into the EU Global Gateway initiative and the opportunities it presents for European and global businesses, public and private investors.     Scroll through for the main takeaways on the 89 flagship projects and funding initiatives in the fields of Energy andClimate, Transport, Digital and Health 👇    If you want to learn more about this EU flagship initiative, we invite you to reach out to RPPA’s Brussels office #publicaffairs #EUGlobalGateway 

In a letter to the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, me and my colleagues in the CEO Alliance express our support for the Commission’s steadfast commitment to the European Green Deal. Our key message is: hold the line. Do not backtrack on the ambition and on what has been achieved. Europe should lead the green and digital transitions, pushing decarbonisation and sustainability forward, while at the same time safeguarding and boosting European competitiveness.