Dr. Marianne Osterkorn Speaks Up on Energy Efficiency
Washington, DC, 05.03.2009 - Diana Lin
Dr. Osterkorn is featured in an interview by the Alliance to Save Energy as part of the "EE Global Voices" series.
The Alliance to Save Energy has launched a series of podcast interviews for audiences to learn more about the speakers to present at this year’s Energy Efficiency Global Forum and Exposition (EE Global) whose clear voices and strong leadership are truly inspiring. Conducting these interviews are Alliance staff, who bring their expertise to these lively discussions. In the most recent interview, Director of Development at the Alliance to Save Energy Chuck Wilson speaks with Dr. Marianne Osterkorn, International Director of the Renewable and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP). Dr. Osterkorn congratulates the Alliance on organizing EE Global, which she views as a “critical” event. EE Global 2009 will serve as an exchange of the latest technical, commercial and policy information, and will forge partnerships and develop best practices, policies and strategies for global implementation. Dr. Osterkorn is a member of EE Global’s International Steering Committee of two years and she is honored to be involved in this valuable event which brings all the “relevant stakeholders” to the table.
In this interview, Dr. Osterkorn references several important pieces of legislation in the European Union (EU) such as the ambitious targets set out in the EU’s recent energy action plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 20%, increase the share of renewable energy production to 20%, and reduce energy demand through energy efficiency by 20% by the year 2020. With a new impetus for energy efficiency under this so-called 20-20-20 strategy, low-energy and net-zero energy buildings have enjoyed increasing interest and attention. As the moderator of the Buildings Session Energy Efficiency and Renewables: Competing or Complementary Technologies?, Dr. Osterkorn highlights the added value in combining energy efficiency and renewable energy, which achieves better results and greater climate and energy security impacts through complementary actions than either one could attain separately. Exploring and maximizing these linkages between renewable energy and energy efficiency is one of REEEP’s major tenets.
Listen to the whole interview with Dr. Osterkorn and check out other interviews with other international leaders in the “EE Global Voices” series.