The REGIOSTARS awards are the yearly competition organised by the European Commission. Over the last thirteen years, it has become Europe’s label of excellence for EU-funded projects which demonstrate innovative and inclusive approaches to regional development. As Commissioner Ferreira puts it, “The goal of the REGIOSTARS awards is to find projects that are lighthouses of quality and can be inspirational for others to follow”. This year, 25 projects were selected as finalists – 5 in each category – out of a record-high 214 applications.
Vote for RegEnergy running for a REGIOSTARS award!
More localised green energy for urban consumers, supplied by their rural surroundings
North-West Europe (NWE) is one of the EU’s highest energy consuming regions. Strongly dependent on non-renewable energy sources, the share of renewable energy (RE) in the region’s production and consumption mix is low.
RegEnergy focuses on the reduction of GHG emissions in the NWE area by increasing the share of RE through demand-supply partnerships. Based on an innovative integrated regional approach, these partnerships between urbanised and surrounding rural areas create win-win relationships: urban consumers meet their RE demand from reliable regional supplies, rural RE producers get access to urban consumers and steady revenue streams.
The project partners represent cities, rural communities, regional agencies, science institutions and RE producers from 7 NWE countries. Together, they implement pilot installations to increase regional RE share. The objective of the project is to leverage >25 million euros to invest in pilot facilities for an increased RE consumption linked to regional production, thus reducing GHG emissions by 44 200 tonnes (t) annually. To date, 40% of this goal has been achieved. The installed RE infrastructure (solar panels, battery storage, microgrid, pipeline, biogas upgrading facility, etc.) together with the innovative RE demand-supply ongoing partnerships allow 150.000 urban consumers in the project regions to benefit from regionally produces green energy.
RegEnergy promotes citizen engagement and RE communities as major actors in regional development. Local energy communities are involved in setting up the project’s diverse investments. RegEnergy performs several activities to transfer its results to regions members of Climate Alliance (the lead partner organisation) and all project partners’ networks, thanks to different tools such as a common maintenance plan and a policy roadmap.
RegEnergy needs your support!
On a top of 5 winning projects, one in each category, the public also get a chance to support its favourite finalist.
Vote for RegEnergy by clicking on the heart next the project description (make sure you have accessed the GREEN Europe category first): https://regiostarsawards.eu/.
If you believe in the impact our projects have in your region, then give us & RegEnergy a hand and spread the word!
You have until 15 November to vote.
This year's REGIOSTARS award ceremony will take place on 2 December during the annual INFORM EU meeting gathering those responsible for communicating EU funds’ investments (Interreg included). The jury is composed of 15 high-level academic members working in teams of three according to their expertise in each award category. This year, the jury is chaired by Michel Barnier, former EU Chief Brexit negotiator and former Commissioner for regional policy from 1999 to 2004.
