The role of citizens and municipalities in advancing the Energy Transition

Abruzzo Region is committed to making citizens more and more involved in all phases of regional policy, from the planning to the monitoring, in order to accelerate the energy and green transition. The Region has managed the call for proposals on energy efficiency of public buildings (schools) in the framework of Axis IV of the ERDF ROP 2014- 2020 dedicated to the promotion of energy efficiency and reduction of energy consumption and emissions, for a total financial endowment of 7.000.000 euros. 100 projects are eligible for funding and so far 74 municipalities have been funded.

Examples of projects implemented are: interventions on transparent envelope through the substitution of fixtures; interventions on heating and cooling systems; interventions on opaque envelope, through interventions of insulating coating, walls, attics and coverage. All projects have been delivered in one month. The interventions carried out in 3 months and reported in 6 months. The monitoring of actions are performed by school students and all actions have been performed with the involvement of citizens. More than 100 local and qualified experts and companies have been activated.

The management of Axis IV, energy efficiency of public buildings, is a European best practice and some specific shining examples have been also highlighted (e.g. the projects of the School of Pianella and Miglianico).

In order to increase the capacity for communitybased approaches to local renewable energy provision across Europe while reducing carbon emissions, increasing energy security and tackleing fuel poverty, Regione Abruzzo also joined the Interreg Europe COALESCCE project. Within the project framework, an Action Plan was adopted by the region which focuses on the promotion and launch of “community energy initiatives”, based on the lessons learnt from and exchange of experiences with the other regions involved in the project.

In particular, Abruzzo Region has performed a communication and awareness campaign on Community Energy initiatives among the regional government and all municipalities, with particular attention to beneficiaries of Structural Funds aimed at the energy efficiency of schools. These funds have been managed directly by COALESCCE through the energy service involved in the project.

In June 2020, the Regional Council has approved the regional economic and financial document (DEFR in Italian) related to the years 2021-2023 including projects and initiatives, as well as the pathway towards the definition and approval of a regional law on community energy.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

E-mail: araenregione [dot] abruzzo [dot] it (araen[at]regione[dot]abruzzo[dot]it)

Website: regione.abruzzo.it/content/coalescce