EDP returns to Climate Week to reinforce commitment to the energy transition
• Innovation, circular economy, and hybridisation are three areas that EDP’s executive team will highlight during their participation in the global climate action meeting in New York.
• The goal is to showcase successful cases of energy transition at a global event where Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade calls for the urgent mobilisation of all: politicians, regulators, companies, and civil society.
EDP is once again participating in Climate Week in New York, one of the leading global events on climate action that brings together business leaders, politicians, researchers, and other representatives of civil society. Over the course of a week, from 22 to 29 September, the American city will serve as a platform for meetings and discussions that, alongside the United Nations General Assembly, aim to raise awareness, debate, and mobilise society in the urgent fight against climate change and the need to strengthen commitments to a more sustainable future.
EDP’s participation in this flagship global event consolidates the company’s commitment to leading the development of renewable, sustainable, and innovative solutions. EDP's team will include CEO Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade, CFO and Global Head of Sustainability Rui Teixeira, Executive Director Vera Pinto Pereira, North America EDP Renewables CEO Sandhya Ganapathy, and other representatives from various areas of the company.
For Miguel Stilwell d'Andrade, Climate Week “offers a unique opportunity for collaboration around all the key levers for the transition to a clean energy era. This is why we are excited to once again be part of this global event.”
In an article that also serves as a call to action, EDP's CEO asserts that “the energy transition must be fair and inclusive".
"Our teams work every day to find innovative ways to engage communities in this transition and to enable access to energy for as many people as possible. We see that fear and misunderstandings often lead to NIMBYism (Not In My Backyard), and we believe it is our responsibility to promote open and transparent dialogue with local communities to overcome this.”
He adds, “We also believe that we must call on governments to provide the regulatory stability needed to support investment in renewable energy and resolve bottlenecks in areas such as permitting, authorisation, and grid interconnections. We also urge businesses and individuals to adopt sustainable practices and advocate for the transition to clean energy.”
Three paths to the transition
Among the various initiatives and forums they will take part in, EDP representatives aim to highlight projects that exemplify a commitment to innovation, sustainability, and new solutions. One example is the circular economy programme ‘Close the Loop,’ launched in the United States with the global ambition of promoting recycling and reusing materials from its renewable energy projects, reducing environmental impact, and maximising resource efficiency.
Another example is hybrid projects, which combine different energy sources in the same location, optimising existing resources and improving efficiency—an innovative energy production model where EDP is a world leader. EDP also plans to reaffirm its position in developing disruptive technologies, such as thermal batteries in partnership with Rondo Energy.
The ambition to be 100% renewable by 2030 and to achieve net zero by 2040 stands out in this energy transition strategy that EDP will bring to high-level sessions such as the UN Global Compact Private Sector Forum, the Global Renewables Summit, the WBCSD Council Meeting, and the SEforALL Governance Board Meeting, among others. In addition to these meetings, EDP will also organise a roundtable that will bring together an exclusive group of around 20 business leaders from different sectors. Under the theme 'Energy Transition: From Rhetoric to Reality,' the objective is to discuss and open new perspectives on the importance of the energy transition and its impact on sectors such as energy, heavy industry, new technologies, and digital infrastructure.
EDP believes that debates on crucial topics like accelerating the energy transition and strategic partnerships for a just transition, bringing together influential leaders and decision-makers, can represent decisive steps in the fight against climate change. Participation in Climate Week NYC 2024 thus underscores the importance of EDP's role in influencing global policies and accelerating the implementation of renewable energies in key markets, reinforcing its vision of a sustainable and accessible future for all.