CTO Assessment - European Commission

general refurbishment, are obliged to
use solar energy for 60% of their sanitary
hot water supplies. The Universal
Forum of Cultures Barcelona 2004
has been used as international showcase
of this initiative, and the Forum
site has been designed complying with
this law on energy sustainability. A
similar operation of support has been
carried out in Kronsberg, on the occasion
of the World Exposition, which
meant a large scale launching of the
project. Another example of favourable
proactive legislation that should
serve as an example to other regional
governments is found in Flanders,
where transportation of Green Electricity
over the low-voltage distribution
net is free of charge.
In some cases, a technical constraint
on the traditional energy system used
can play in favour of RES. For example,
in Germany, solar thermal was
introduced in the context where water
systems were coming to the end of
their life, and therefore needed to be
replaced or drastically revised. This
created a niche for solar thermal
water systems with a peak at this precise
moment of sudden high need.
Technical support provided by the
Energy Agencies, showed to be a determining
factor for the success of
experiences such as the project of
energy source diversification carried
out by the Provincial Agency of Chieti.
This way allowed demonstrating that
it is more interesting sometimes to rely
on the support of local agencies than
on a direct contribution to projects,
such as on Götland and Pellworm, or
in the case of Austria, where more
than 15,000 energy advice sessions
are carried out annually.
Beside technical assistance, a major
factor of success has been the promotion
of actions based on citizens’ participation
within the project development
process. In the Samsø projects,
importance is placed on people’s commitment
at all levels, especially politically,
technically, and financially.
Bodies responsible of the initiative,
Foreningen Samsø Energi-og
Miljøkontor and Samsø
Energiselskabet, which were established
to promote participation of residents,
play an important role in this
process. For example, Samsø
Energiselskabet consists of representatives
of Samsø municipality, the
Commercial Council, the Farmer’s
Association, and Foreningen Samsø
Energiog Miljøkontor, and its secretariat
widely provides general information.
Residents take both benefit
from and responsibility for projects by
participating them.
Public awareness support, starting
often from transnational initiatives,
has been an essential enabling factor
in experiences such as the one of
Achievements and lessons
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