e8 Group

RWE is a founding member of the e8, a group in which the world’s leading electric utilities work together on concepts for sustainable power generation.

The e8 is an alliance of leading energy utilities from the G8 countries; founded in 1992 as the e7 Network of Expertise for the Global Environment, it now numbers ten member companies:

  • AEP – American Electric Power (USA)
  • Duke Energy (USA)
  • EDF – Électricité de France (France)
  • ENEL (Italy)
  • HydroQuébec (Canada)
  • JSC RusHydro (Russia)
  • Kansai Electric Power Company (Japan)
  • Ontario Power Generation (Canada)
  • RWE (Germany)
  • TEPCO – Tokyo Electric Power Company (Japann)

Mission and priorities of the e8 group
The alliance has at its disposal a unique pool of expertise in the electricity sector and makes this know-how available to countries whose electricity industry is facing major challenges. This transfer of know-how is also a contribution to sustainable development. The ten member companies are committed to playing an active role in global environmental protection and do this by

  • developing joint policy frameworks and implementing initiatives;
  • taking joint positions in global debates on energy- and climate-related issues (at UN climate change conferences, for example);
  • promoting the efficient generation and use of electricity, especially in developing countries;
  • advising development projects by the World Bank, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development and other international financial institutions.


The members are among the world’s leading electric utilities and are aware of the responsibilities that come with this role.
e8 (www.e8.org)


Projects by the e8
Since 1995, the e8 has set up various working groups to address problems considered important by both the chairmen of the member companies and the e8’s own bodies. The e8’s activities include global human capacity building as well as projects to provide assistance and support.

The e8 member companies have developed a special programme of workshops to facilitate the transfer of their own expertise and experience in improving the efficiency and environmental performance of coal-fired power plants. Two of these workshops aimed at power engineers in developing and newly industrialised countries were held by RWE in 2007, when the subjects covered included environmental monitoring and the development of a strategy for lowering emissions as well as the special case of coal-fired power plants in Africa.


Another example of the activities of the e8 group are the three wind turbines erected in cooperation with the government of Ecuador on the island of San Cristóbal, which is part of Ecuador’s Galapagos archipelago. The wind turbines, which each have a net output of 800 kilowatts, came on stream in October 2007, although they were not inaugurated officially until March 2008. The new wind farm supplies about one third of the electricity needs of the island’s 6,000 inhabitants and reduces their CO2 emissions by approx. 2,000 tonnes annually. The project is also a contribution to the preservation of this world famous UNESCO World Heritage site.

Galapagos Wind (www.galapagoswind.org)
e8 2009 - 2010 Annual Activity Report (PDF | 3 MB)

Status: 04/2010