Germany and the UAE exchange on energy-efficient solutions for industry and buildings

The Emirati-German Energy and Climate Partnership hosted a webinar to exchange with policy makers and technology companies on successful energy efficiency measures for industry and buildings in Germany and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The speakers presented technologies and initiatives to advance energy efficiency, followed by a panel discussion on enabling conditions for successful implementation.

Dariya Oveshchenko from the German Energy Agency (dena) and the Office of the Energy Efficiency and Climate Protection Networks Initiative (IEEKN), introduced German’s Energy Efficiency Networks, a voluntary initiative helping companies implement energy efficiency measures. Dr. Nadir Abdessemed and Mohammad Hamza from Transsolar KlimaEngineering demonstrated how integrated planning processes enhance energy efficiency in buildings. Michael Freiherr presented heat exchange solutions from the company Güntner, with a particular focus on energy- and water-efficient cooling solutions for data centers.

The panel discussion explored success factors, challenges, and policy implications for energy efficiency. A key takeaway was the importance of stakeholder exchange platforms in advancing energy efficiency by improving access to information and accelerating implementation. Panelists emphasized that energy efficiency must be paired with sufficiency to achieve meaningful savings, as reductions are only impactful when overall energy consumption also decreases. The term sufficiency refers to strategies that aim to reduce absolute energy demand by encouraging lifestyle and systemic changes, ensuring that efficiency gains are not offset by increased consumption elsewhere. The panelists also highlighted the overlooked issue of water efficiency in data centers, particularly relevant in regions facing water scarcity. Finally, they called for more consistent adoption of existing technologies and standards, which hold significant potential to accelerate progress toward national energy efficiency targets.

The Energy and Climate Partnership will continue this fruitful exchange through future activities to advance energy efficiency in Germany and the UAE.