Financing sustainable mobility for local communities through energy savings

The TIMS programme stands out for its innovative funding method—using energy savings certificates—applied to projects promoting sustainable and inclusive mobility, particularly in sparsely populated areas. With a budget exceeding €30 million, it represents a large-scale initiative.

Launched in 2005, France's Energy Savings Certificates (CEE) scheme is a key tool for managing energy demand. It requires energy suppliers to finance energy-saving initiatives and, in return, earn White Certificates from the Ministry of Transition. This funding model supports both energy-efficient upgrades and awareness campaigns.

Building on the success of the PEnD-AURA and PEnD-AURA+ programmes, the regional energy agency Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Energie Environnement (AURA-EE) teamed up with three key players in energy transition: the national network of regional energy agencies (RARE), the CLER network, and Mob’In, which promotes inclusive mobility. Together, they launched TIMS.

To qualify for this funding, the programme’s organisers committed to measuring the energy-saving impacts of their initiatives and creating a solid governance structure, a complex task given the involvement of many stakeholders and significant financial backing.

"TIMS aims to provide eco-mobility solutions to those in isolated areas or without access to affordable transport options," explains Bouchra Zeroual, one of the programme coordinators. "While sustainable and inclusive mobility exists separately, TIMS is focused on uniting these solutions to serve households without reliable transport better."

The programme operates through 90 regional project leaders, selected through a call for interest. These leaders receive national and regional support for capacity-building and sharing their experiences.

Despite being in its early stages, TIMS has already achieved considerable scale and gained the trust of its partners and institutions.

Source: Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Énergie Environnement (AURA-EE)

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