Auvergne-Rhône Alpes Energy and Environment Agency

Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Énergie Environnement (AURA-EE) is the regional energy and environment agency of the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. Created in 1978 with the support of the Regional Council, the agency aims at promoting, coordinating and developing programmes and actions in favour of sustainable energies in the building and transport sectors, climate change mitigation and adaptation, environmental protection and sustainable development. 

Its activities are mainly targeted at local and regional authorities of the public and social sectors. The agency supports them through project development and implementation, as well as defining local policies and programmes. 

AURA-EE is a private non-profit organisation gathering more than 80 members, including regional and local public authorities, energy producers, distributors and retailers, NGOs in the field of sustainable energy and environment protection, professionals’ organisations in the social housing, energy and service sectors, financial bodies, etc. 

Activities 

The agency coordinates multiple regional-level thematic networks, allowing regional and local stakeholders to share experiences and join forces in the following areas: 

• Sustainable energy & climate action planning, 

• Decentralised sustainable energy production, 

• Smart energy networks, 

• Sustainable buildings, 

• Energy communities, 

• Climate adaptation, 

• Wastes and circular economy, 

• Green public procurement, 

Projects  

AURA-EE has a long-standing European experience, starting back in the mid ’90s, in developing, coordinating, and participating in EU-funded projects. It has been involved in the following programmes: Altener, SAVE, IEE, Horizon 2020, FP7, Interreg IV A, B, and C, and. 

Examples of past or ongoing projects that AURA-EE has been involved in include:  

• ADAPTNOW – ADAPTation Capacity Strengthening for Highly Affected and Exposed Territories in the Alps NOW. 

• ECOEMPOWER – Empowering energy communities. 

• OCTOPUS – For Improved Coordination Among Local Energy Transition Stakeholders. 

• EU CITY FACILITY – Financial support and services to cities for their sustainable energy projects. 

• PEGASUS – Promoting Effective Generation And Sustainable UseS of electricity Highlights. 

• ALPGRIDS – Increase the uptake of RES in the Alps through microgrid solutions 

• More can be found on the AURA-EE website. 

Network  

AURA-EE also holds roles in the following networks:  

• Chairing RARE. the French network of regional energy agencies. 

• Co-leading the EUSALPS (EU Strategy for the Alpine Region) Action Group 9 on sustainable energy. 

• Being a founding member of FEDARENE, the European Federation of Agencies and Regions for Energy and the Environment. 

• Supporting the regional energy agency and signatory of the EU Covenant of Mayors (CoM) initiative. 

• Being a member of NEREUS, an organisation that uses space technologies and data to develop climate and energy services.  

• Involved as a partner in ManagEnergy, a European Commission initiative dedicated to supporting the role of regional and local energy agencies as leaders in the energy transition.