At the 30th Steering Group Meeting of Priority Area 2 (PA2) of the EU Strategy for the Danube Region (EUSDR), held on 8 April 2025 in Prague, the focus was placed on developments related to energy infrastructure aimed at increasing the use of renewable energy sources and enhancing energy independence across the region.
PA2 pursues three main objectives: coordinating regional energy policies across various thematic areas to harness the full potential of an integrated energy market; contributing to the integration of energy markets in non-EU countries by supporting the adoption of EU energy acquis; and launching cutting-edge technology developments to improve energy efficiency and foster the deployment of renewable energy.
More information about PA2 objectives is available at: https://energy.danube-region.eu/
The meeting provided an opportunity for participating countries to present their ongoing projects in the field of green energy transition, the development of a hydrogen economy, and cross-border electricity network integration. Innovative initiatives were introduced, including „Active2Public Transport”, which supports alternative modes of public transport; „SMEnergy”, promoting energy efficiency measures; and the “GreetGeo” project, presented by the South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency (STRIA).
GreetGeo focuses on the sustainable, multi-purpose use of geothermal energy resources, with particular emphasis on less developed Central European regions, including the Pannonian Basin. The project contributes directly to PA2’s Action 1, which promotes cross-border, multi-purpose renewable energy projects aimed at enhancing energy independence. The main objective of this action is to support EUSDR countries in meeting their national renewable energy targets by 2030, contributing to the EU-wide 30% goal.
The GreetGeo project aims to strengthen geothermal innovation ecosystems by fostering investment, improving policy and regulatory environments, and increasing stakeholder capacities. It places special emphasis on streamlining permitting procedures, developing business models and investment plans, and empowering key ecosystem actors—especially SMEs. The partnership brings together organisations with financial,
technological, policy and communication expertise, with the goal of facilitating knowledge exchange, promoting best practices and innovative financing mechanisms. GreetGeo also supports cooperation among research institutions, industry and investors to accelerate the effective deployment of geothermal energy in less developed EU regions.
Further information is available here: https://ddriu.hu/en/greet-geo-2/
The GREETGeo project is funded by the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) under the Interregional Innovation Investments (I3) Instrument.
