SQ Consult led the team responsible for the recast of the Energy Service Directive and the CHP Directive. With partners ECN and Cambridge Econometrics we supported the Eureopan Commission, DG Energy in the official mid-term review of the two directives and to analyse potential changes in these directives.

SQ Consult supported the Kazakhstan government in drafting energy efficiency and renewable energy policy and legislation. The advice was based on an assessment of Dutch and international best practices. Topics included energy auditing and reporting, and voluntary agreements. Draft legislation was reviewed by SQ Consult.

The project provides an up-to-date overview of the current status and expectations of the transposition of the EU-RED in the selected national member states being Italy, Spain, France, UK and the Netherlands, and the possible implications for trading of biofuels.

Consensus-building process within a North-West European utility, evaluating the impact of the Electricity and Gas Act on its activities to prepare for feedback to the national Energy Regulator.

Portfolio analysis, analysis of financial instruments and their efficiency in achieving strategic pillars of the energy strategy of a multilateral Bank: Fostering cleaner energies and increasing access to modern energy services.

Elaboration and utilisation of methodological assessments to provide project developers with further guidance on the execution of a comprehensive sustainability evaluation of their projects

Study of the most suitable production methods for the local supply of jatropha oil to a 50kton/year biodiesel plant. The study includes a benchmark of contracting frameworks and financial incentives to local suppliers.

International benchmarking of financial regulatory elements. Identification of the regulatory measures suitable to Colombia via stakeholders consultations.

Support for the successful third periodic verification of the Jaremar CDM project. This CDM project consists on biogas capture from waste water from the processing of African palm. The biogas captured is used for the production of electricity and heat.

The project provides an up-to-date overview of the current status and expectations of the transposition of the EU-RED in the selected national member states being Italy, Spain, France, UK and the Netherlands, and the possible implications for trading of biofuels.

SQ Consult is, together with DNV, supporting the European Commission in evaluating the NIMS, the National Implementation Measures, which set out the free allocation each Member State allocates to EU ETS participants in Phase III (as of 2013) in line with the EU harmonised allocation rules.

SQ Consult supported a North-West European utility  with the collection of information, streamlining of processes/calculations and writing of the yearly Corporate Sustainability Report. In both years the report achieved the highest GRI level A+. This was conducted three years in a row.

SQ Consult provided expert judgment on whether a certification or vertification system, that has not been accepted yet by other EU member states and / or the European Commission,  complies with the Dutch Assessment Protocol and requirements for approval in the Netherlands.

Presentation and advice to the international experts and strategy group of a large European utility contributing to their elaboration of ideas for a roadmap towards a successful certification label and in the analysis including how this will could affect the group's integral bioenergy business strategy

Evaluation of the technical and economic  feasibility of renewable energy, energy efficiency and governance development concept notes projects presented to the second EU Energy Facility for the ACP region (African and Caribbean Countries, and Pacific Islands States). Projects aimed at improving affordable energy access and fighting poverty in rural and peri-urban areas. A total of eighty concept notes projects were evaluated in three continents.

Developing a National Bioenergy Strategy for Lebanon, which includes a sustainable bioenergy chains potential assessment (2030 horizon) and an impact assessment on regional level based on 2 sustainability levels under different bioenergy business scenarios. Work included barriers analysis and financial analysis of the implementation of several technical conversion options.

Supervision of the analysis performed by different international experts assigned to the project. Setting up a database of national energy resources and costs of potential projects. Organisation of programmatic activities between the Peruvian regulatory body and their peers in Spain and Germany.

Capacity assessment of the four regional African Power Pools (WAPP, EAPP, CAPP, SAPP) and the continental African Forum for Utility Regulators (AFUR). Formulation of the EU technical assistance for the promotion of sustainable energy production and the strengthening of regional trade markets and power integration.

SQ Consult supported a Dutch player in the energy sector to enhance its understanding on the current debate on proposed changes in the Dutch regulatory framework for renewable energy support. Ad-hoc support was provided to analyse impact of various proposals, organise internal brainstorm sessions and determining position in the debate.

SQ Consult was asked to make an inventory on current plans and activities for municipality-led initiatives to set up sustainable energy companies in the Netherlands. The work supported the client’s strategic positioning in this area. The work includes an internal brainstorm session at their headquarters, in-house and external interviews and a SWOT analysis for the client on risks and opportunities in this area.

Guideline on legal requirements best fitting the client’s business model for its ambitions in France.

Short position paper using the inspiration of the US renewables market and the level of integration of regional power pools to draw tentative solutions for the use of cooperation mechanisms of the RES Directive between EU Member States.

Analyzing the growth of the biomass market in the Netherlands with associated impact on the merit order  in order to understand how the Dutch renewable ambitions could form a basis for the business case of large scale electricity storage.

The objective of this project was recognizing the opportunities to use biogas technology in dairy farms in Gipuzkoa as energy and environmental solution. If favorable, promote and facilitate its implementation, now or in the coming future.

International best case examples of how to overcome the barriers in the implementation of Renewable Energies in the Basque Region. 9 international cases were studied.

With support of the current local administration, SQ Consult designed a full new energy supply for the small rural town: Beizama. Solid biomass (pellet for heating) were considered along with biogas from farms, geothermal, wind and solar energy. The result does not only yield techno- economical results, but also dives into  social acceptance, the management and local authority position, investment attractiveness, etc.

Knowledge development on renewable energies in the Basque Country for building an opinion about future Regional Energy Plan. The project includes among others: identification of potentials 2020 - 2050, technology and cost outlook, barrier analysis and analysis of learning curves. Several scenarios and solutions developed for decision makers.

SQ Consult advises the Regional Government of Gipuzkoa on the development of a Sustainable Energy Plan for the province, including the diagnosis and development of the first actions for 2015 – 2020. In this  stage SQ develops 1) the Energy diagnosis of the province 2) the Renewable energy and energy efficiency potentials (including SWOT analysis and socio-economical impacts of them) and 3) sets the first actions included in the future Sustainable Energy Plan of Gipuzkoa.

Advice on the potential impact of national and EU policies with respect to energy savings and self-delivery. Interviews with management, writing of position papers and knowledge sharing through workshops.

In 2010 SQ Consult supported IIP in the evaluation of industrial energy efficiency and GHG emission reduction policies of 6 countries. Countries include the Netherlands, UK, US, Japan, China and India. The project uses the “policy pyramid” framework to assess the completeness and the consistency of a country’s policy package; and to identify best practice policies to further the sharing of best practices and lessons learned across countries. In 2011 we started supporting IIP with analyzing the policies for 6 additional countries: Australia, Canada, South-Africa, Germany, Thailand and Russia. IIP is part of the ClimateWorks Foundation.

Azure, Shandong Energy Conservation Office (SECO), the Chinese Energy Research Institute (ERI) and LBNL are working on a sectoral mechanism for reducing GHG emissions from the cement sector in Shandong Province in China, including research on possibilities for crediting and trading of GHG emission reductions. SQ Consult provides support on allocation and MRV mechanisms that are applied internationally to similar sector-wide industrial energy efficiency and emissions trading programs, including the EU ETS.

Support to WWF European Policy office in the development of a second generation Climate Savers Agreement with a large industrial company for greenhouse gas target setting beyond 2010. Work includes analysis of current performance compared to competitors, assessment of proposals and strategic advice on type and level of targets and broader performance indicators related to sustainable construction and climate change policy positions.

For a real estate investment company SQ Consult identified upcoming climate change policies and the likely risks and opportunities for their portfolio.

Project/process management as well as stakeholder management for a large industrial company applying for NER 300 subsidy. Project/process management for a team of internal and external consultants as well as partners involved, stakeholder management on governmental level, writing part of the documents, overall quality control of documents and ensuring timely and correct handover of necessary documents.

On request of UNDP SQ Consult prepared the project fiche for an €8 million project under the EU-UNDP climate change programme. This specific project will support developing countries in their identification of mitigation project and will provide a capacity building program for MRV, NAMAs and LEDS. Moreover it will provide a training facility to support the private sector in selected developing countries in increasing its access to the international carbon market.

Support during the validation and registration of a CDM project for biogas recovery project, with production of heat and electricity generation from effluents ponds at a palm oil mill in Honduras. Review and update of the Project Design Document, the project calculations and the support documentation was done based on the requests of the Designated Operational Entity and the UNFCCC Secretariat.