Page 39 - European Energy Innovation - Summer 2017 publication

Summer 2017 European Energy Innovation 39

COMMUNICATION

LOCARBO Project

Novel roles of regional and LOcal authorities in supporting energy consumers’ behaviour change
towards a low CARBOn economy

LOCARBO Project – Novel roles of regional and LOcal The main result of LOCARBO is the improvement of the
authorities in supporting energy consumers’ behaviour tackled policy instruments associated with Structural Funds
change towards a low CARBOn economy and other programmes, centred on energy efficiency and
the use of renewables in buildings and on the change of
LOCARBO project aims at improving policy instruments energy consumers’ behaviour. l
targeting demand driven initiatives to increase energy
efficiency related to the built environment. This will be
achieved by finding innovative ways for regional/local
authorities to support energy consumers’ behavior change.

The 7 project partners from Hungary, Italy, Lithuania,
Portugal, Romania and the UK are aware that regional
policies on energy efficiency can only be successful if pieces
of the puzzle are brought together. Therefore, over the
upcoming four years, LOCARBO will focus its activities on
bottom-up initiatives on 3 thematic pillars (supplementary
services and products offered by authorities, innovative
cooperation models, and innovative technological solutions)
in a fully integrated way.

LOCARBO will combine and roll-out innovative practices
linked to three strongly interrelated thematic pillars:
• Supplementary services and products: Services and

products offered by regional and local authorities, such
as energy consultancy services to end users and energy
ambassadors.
• Innovative cooperation models: Cooperation models
based on Local Energy Communities, composed of
economic and civil actors cooperating on energy
efficiency and renewable energy, oriented to foster an
active involvement of stakeholders, especially energy
consumers.
• Innovative and smart/ICT technologies: Supporting
the spread of intelligent technologies, such as energy
management systems and smart meters in regions/
countries with lower penetration rates, and systematically
collecting and analysing data and feedback information
in order to support evidence-based policy making.

Among the activities: THE PARTNERSHIP
• Each partner region has to produce a regional/local Province of Potenza (IT) – Lead Partner
Basilicata Region (IT)
analysis related to the addressed policy instrument, Municipality of Vila Nova de Gaia (PT)
integrating the state-of-the-art and the ambitions of the Durham County Council (UK)
region. Kaunas University of Technology (LT)
• Each partner region has to develop a regional/local Hungarian Innovation and Efficiency Nonprofit Ltd (HU)
action plan with a view to improve the tackled policy Municipality of Alba Iulia (RO)
instrument associated with Structural Funds and other Budget: €. 1,608,670.00
programmes, influencing EUR 100 M of funds. Duration: from 1 April 2016 to 30 September 2020
• Local living labs: Each partner has to involve local/
regional stakeholders in the project, namely in the
elaboration of the local/regional action plans and in the
networking activities.

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