The goal of the project is to provide the Danube Region with proper environment and informed society, where community renewable energy initiatives can be launched and expand unhindered, thus facilitating the green transition and increasing energy efficiency, contributing to the achievement of the decarbonisation climate targets and enhancing energy security. The Danube Region relies heavily on imported, fossil-fuel energy sources, which raises environmental, efficiency and security concerns. The concept of renewable energy communities (RECs) is not widely known in the region, and their operation is often hampered by legal, internal operational, infrastructural or technical barriers. The project will explore and propose legal solutions, and analyse various operational models, in order to provide the necessary and appropriate conditions for the creation of energy communities. In order to raise awareness on current energy challenges in the Danube Region and to achieve the most widespread change possible, the partners will address and involve various authorities and agencies, municipalities, members of energy communities, NGOs, SMEs, operators and service providers, as well as the general public, and develop and test incentive methodologies to enhance behavioural change. Partners will educate and train the target audience to become environmental and energyconscious and to set up RECs.

Main data of the project:
Project title: Creating appropriate operational conditions for renewable energy communities in the Danube Region
Project code: DRP0200163

Partners:
South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency – Hungary (LP)
IMRO-DDKK Nonprofit Ltd. – Hungary
South Bohemian Agency for Support to Innovation (JAIP) – Czeh Republic
Research Burgenland Ltd. – Austria
IRENA Istrian Regional Energy Agency – Croatia
Energy Agency of Savinjska, Šaleška and Koroška Region – Slovenia
Pazardzhik Regional Administration – Bulgaria
Regional Economic Development Agency for Sumadija and Pomoravlje – Serbia
Romanian Network of Energy Cities (OER) – Romania
FORS Montenegro – Foundation for the Development of Northern Montenegro – Montenegro
DIT – Institute of Technology – Germany
National Energy Cluster – NEK – Slovakia
Alliance for Energy Efficiency and Renewables – Moldova

Project budget in EUR: 2,533,053.86 €
Grant programme: Interreg Danube Transnational Programme
Project Duration: 01.01.2024 – 30.06.2026