The RENCOP kick-off meeting in Poland will take place in Warsaw on 6th September.
If you would like to be a member of the RENCOP group and support an energy transition focussing on local energy potentials – do not hesitate to join us. Please contact the Foundation for Sustainable Energy (FNEZ): mk@fnez.pl
”Of course it makes sense to go together with other homeowners, when you want to throw out the old oil furnace and buy a new efficient heat pump. It gives economies of scale and the possibility to spar with other homeowners about the advantages and disadvantages with different offers on heat pumps.”
This is what Carsten Mortensen, owner of Frishop.dk, who is the chairman of the group of citizens, who together collected offers on heat pumps, says. The group, of 5, maybe 7 people, are about to make a deal with Klimadan.
Peter Davidsen from Klimadan says: “I am proud that the homeowners choose our offer. The homeowners have been exciting to work with, not least because the have been prepared. Before Klimadan has been asked to make an offer, the homeowners already had informative meetings about replacement of oil furnaces. This won´t be the last time we will join this type of task and we hope there will be more of this type of initiatives.”
The initiative for the informative meetings, have been organized by the Energy Alliance Triangle (Vejle, Kolding, Middelfart, Frederica, Billund and Vejen Municipalities) and a presentation has been given by www.sparenergi.dk. In connection with these meetings, the homeowners could write their names on a list of “serious homeowners”, who where ready to replace their oil furnaces. From this part on, the homeowners contacted on their own, the suppliers, who they wanted to make offers, with a little facilitation from the municipalities.
It is a type of project, we will see much more of in the future. At least if it is up to the mayor Johannes Lundsfryd Jensen, Middelfart Municipality. Johannes Lundsfryd Jensen says:” We are working tough with the green transition and a sustainable community, which means that we together with the citizens will take the initiative and create common sustainable results. Common purchase of heat pumps is a great example of how the municipalities serve the citizens with advice and guidance, facilitation of meetings and the hassle. And yes, it can seem innovative and wild, that we support common purchase of heat pumps like this. But it is essentially fully in line with what a municipality is: a unity to solve common interests and needs, no matter if it is teaching, eldercare or collective energy initiatives. That citizens can save money and reduce CO2 emissions with 15 to 25 tons in this project is a gain for the individuals and the community.”
Author: Morten Mejsen Westergaard
Translation: Mareike Johannsen
Contact:
Morten Mejsen Westergaard (morten.westergaard@middelfart.dk)
Mareike Johannsen (Mareike.johannsen@middelfart.dk)
The article was published in Danish in the Fredericia Avisen as well (PDF). Find the original on the homepage of Middelfart Municipality.
The next meeting of the Co2mmunity partners will take place in Kaunas, Lithuania, on the 12th and 13th September. The host will be the Kaunas Regional Energy Agency (KREA).
We are looking forward to coming together again!
A solar energy event was held in Alavus on the 26th March 2018 at the premises of Alavus City Development (Fasadi, Taitotie 1, 63300 Alavus). It served to enhance solar energy in the city of Alavus and sorroundings and also to establish a temporary, smaller RENCOP. 39 participants attended and received information on how to connect solar systems to the grid, what s
ystems are available and what possibilities exist for the coupling solar and geothermal systems. The event was free and open for everyone and advertised by the Alavus City Development in local papers and networks as well as by Thermopolis Ltd. on its Facebook page.
The Enterprise Europe Network has published a short piece on Co2mmunity (German only). The Enterprise Europe Network aims to help businesses in exploring new ways. We just might find that supporting RENCOPs is a promising avenue to root your company regionally and become a partner for the citizens of the 21st century.
The Christian-Albrechts University Kiel has published an article on Co2mmunity! The principle of the project is explained and an example for a succesful RENCOP is mentioned briefly. Namely, a small district heating for a village of about 230 people in Northern Frisia in Germany, where the muncipality, the regional energy utility and a citizens cooperative came together.
The Co2mmunity team wishes you and your loved ones a very merry Christmas and peaceful festive season! Find our postcard here to send your own greetings! With this we also take a well deserved break until the new year.
Energy4All has grown out of community energy projects in the UK. Currently, 23 independent co-operatives work together in Energy4All to support new projects and the management of ongoing projects. Also they bring together projects and citizens interested in funding them. Clearly, a RENCOP in action!
You have a good story to share as well? Feel free to contact us!
Another INTERREG project in the Baltic Sea Region supporting local energy solutions is Baltic ForBio. They just got started with a focus on developing local bioenergy projects that utilise the discards of forestry operations. Their way of doing this? Developing business models, providing technical information as well as helping pilot projects in rural areas to get of the ground. Maybe your community can also benefit more from forestry than you thought! Check out the project on the INTERREG homepage.
The Ministry of Justice, European Affairs, Consumer Protection and Equality in Schleswig-Holstein has published a new info brochure on the INTERREG projects that are active in Schleswig-Holstein. These projects come from:
– INTERREG A: Germany Denmark
– INTERREG B: Baltic Sea Region
– INTERREG B: North Sea Region
– INTERREG Europe
Of course, Co2mmunity features as well! Download the whole brochure here -> Infoheft Interreg_Final to get an overview.
