Webinar: The Energy Efficiency Market for EU SMEs in China

GreenStream’s Karl Upston-Hooper held a webinar The Energy Efficiency Market for EU SMEs in China.

Energy efficiency and conservation are becoming increasingly important in China, both on a political as well as an economic level. Total energy consumption has been increasing rapidly for decades, driven mostly by industry (40% of total consumption in 2010) and the power sector (37% in 2010). Plans to fast-track expansion and investment in energy saving technologies are in place, leading to estimates that the environmental protection sector will grow by 15% annual in the coming years.

Many European SMEs have technologies on offer that are desperately needed if China is to meet its ambitious energy saving goals. At the same time, so-called energy management companies (EMCs) represent an attractive business model to help bring these technologies into the market. Topics:

• the Chinese energy efficiency market, its drivers and main players
• the regulatory environment
• the main challenges for newcomers to the market
• energy management companies in China and Europe
• technology transfer as part of the business model

Webinar was held May 8th 2014. Presentation available here.

About the Speaker

Karl Upston-Hooper is the the General Counsel of GreenStream Network plc, a role he has held since August 2006. GreenStream is a leading Nordic company focused on energy efficiency and climate opportunities in China. As General Counsel, Karl has led the design, implementation and legal operations of GreenStream’s energy efficiency investments in China. Previously to joining GreenStream Karl was Senior M&A Counsel, based in London, for British Telecommunications plc and in that role undertook a wide range of significant cross border acquisitions, disposals and restructurings.  Karl trained as a corporate lawyer specialising in energy issues.

Karl holds an LLB and LLM (hons) from Victoria University of Wellington and an LLM, summa cum laude, from Katholieke Universiteit, Leuven and is currently completing his Doctorate of Law at the University of Eastern Finland. He serves as an associate editor of the Carbon and Climate Review and has regularly acted as guest editor for special feature issues. He is Chairman of the Business Partnership for Market Readiness and is a Board member of the International Emissions Trading Association and has published extensively on climate and energy related issues.