North Sea – Sustainable Energy Planning

About the project

North Sea – SEP

Small towns and rural communities are facing a dilemma: On the one hand, municipalities, their citizens, companies and institutions are facing to energy costs, which have drastically increased in recent years, and these costs will remain high in the medium to long-term. On the other hand, it is with stagnating public revenue, not only to provide the energy supply of public buildings and facilities safe and to keep the local infrastructure for existing and new residents and businesses attractive, without burdening the citizens.

A key to this lies both in the development and utilization of energy resources in the region for the region, as well as in the promotion of energy saving. Across Europe, many municipalities try to explore and to use these possibilities. What is still missing are long working concepts, tools and experience in the restructuring of regional energy supply. In the project „North Sea – Sustainable Energy Planning“ the European Institute for Innovation has merged with 13 other partners from the North Sea Region to close this gap.

Communities, academic institutions and industry partners work together in this project to expand renewable energy, energy efficiency and energy saving, and take the advantage of cooperation, synergy and shared experiences. With the Jade University Oldenburg as lead partner, common options are developed to strengthen the use of renewable energy sources, and to increase the efficient use of energy.

Partners from industry, science and the municipal policy develop studies during the project, they develop tools and business models that serve the implementation of new energy supply concepts at the regional level. This planning security for decision makers is increased and the knowledge potential for future activities is strengthening.

Project objectives

The projects objectives were the following: