Promoting renewable energies - RETS Project

After nearly three years of project work, it is possible to
demonstrate how some forms of concrete transfer have
taken place. This transfer can be divided into four
different approaches:
Transfer of renewable energy good practices,
collected through the project from one partner
region to another, in the case of RETS this is
often in the deployment of a specific renewable
energy technology or approach;
Cooperation between the members of RETS with
other networks and projects specialised in
renewable energies;
Development of an inter-regional cross border
approach;
Transfer and skills development through the
deployment of web-based tools for joint
collaboration.
Transfer between partner regions
One type of transfer that has been observed within the
project is the transfer of good practice examples from
region to another member of the project partnership.
Notable examples can be found in the area of geothermal
technologies, where the visit to the deep thermal site at
Soultz-sous-forêts in Alsace stimulated the Hungarian
partner Vecsés. Vecsés not only established close links
with the Soultz plant manager and the French Economic
Mission in Budapest on the feasibility of undertaking
similar operations in their municipality, but more
concretely they have undertaken a research feasibility
study assessing the geothermal potential of their territory.
Geothermal installation in Soultz-sous-Forêts, France
Many of the study visits organised within the project to
renewable energy experiences stimulated partners to
exchange knowledge and expertise. For example:
The Sittard-Geleen town engineer in the
Netherlands spontaneously worked with Serta
municipality on the optimisation of their biomass
plant.
The partner ENERGAP attempted to bring one of
the innovative Quiet Revolution wind turbines
seen in Wales to the Maribor municipality,
although this finally was not possible due to the
unavailability of maintenance services in
Slovenia.
Staffordshire University was particularly
interested in deep water mining technology seen
in the Netherlands, as the Staffordshire area has
many similar old mining networks and
consequently briefed local Members of
Parliament after the visit.
The Graz visit in Austria also proved particularly
inspiring for the Sittard-Geleen team as it
provides an interesting business model for their
Green Net project.
Vecsés throughout the project has developed
activities on renewable energies and
sustainability for its school children being inspired
by the ECO centre Wales approach and an
Educational Centre in Sittard-Geleen. This
municipality is now carrying out a feasibility study
for the establishment of a “Sustainable
Development Education Centre” in Vecsés and
has even received a grant of 1.5 M HUF (approx.
5.300 EUR) from the
company HungaroControll for
its realisation.
ENERGAP has also
found educational ideas and
approaches during the
dedicated seminar on
education that took place in
Vecsés during Spring 2012,
and has now integrated them
into the education programme
“polygon” that is implemented
in the Podravje region of
Slovenia.
Two of the project
partners Serta and Pinhel have indeed signed the
Covenant of Mayors initiative during the project.
58
RETS Compendium – © 2012 RETS Consortium