Promoting the Sustainable Use of Renewable Resources and Energy Efficiency

Medjimurje Energy Agency Ltd. (MENEA) is participating as a partner in Project RURES, which has been approved for financing through the Interreg Central Europe program. This project is supported by 10 other partners from Germany, Poland, Slovenia, Croatia, Hungary and Czech Republic. The main objective of RURES is to exploit the potential of renewable energy sources and increase energy efficiency in rural regions as they have a great potential for reaching energy autonomy.

The successful implementation of the European climate protection targets is mainly influenced by two aspects. First, we have to open up further the potential of energy that is being produced from renewable resources. On the other hand, we should increase energy efficiency. With RURES activities, the gap between more or less developed regions can be reduced by transnational collaboration, sustainable low-carbon energy planning strategies and policies that will lead towards efficient use of Europe`s territory and resources.

Within RURES, Local Support Groups (LSGs) will be established, acting as regional energy networks. These groups will be composed of all relevant actors (public authorities, regional agencies, infrastructure providers…) for implementing Energy Efficiency Plans (EEPs). Pilot actions with testing innovative technologies on the energy supply and demand side will be implemented regarding measures chosen from EEPs and will have a clear show-character since they are installed at high frequency visited places. Through transnational cooperation the gap between the different developed regions will be bridged, best practice experiences will be exchanged and new ways (financial and technological) pointed out. This will be an ignition point for further investments in EE and RES, the exploitation of renewable energy sources will increase and this will directly cause the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions.