PLAN4COLD

Nearly half of the EU’s energy demand – and greenhouse gas emissions – stems from heating and cooling. In Southern Europe, cooling plays a larger role than in other European countries, and cooling needs will rise significantly due to the impacts of climate change.

This is why the project Plan4Cold will support local authorities, particularly pilot cities in Italy, Greece and Portugal, to develop local heating and cooling plans. These heating and cooling plans will include an analysis on how the municipalities can promote energy efficiency and renewable energy, but also comprehensively assess heating and cooling systems, considering each of the cities’ climatic, infrastructural and economic context.  

Pilot cities which will develop local and heating cooling plans within this project include: Udine (IT), Pordenone (IT), Ragusa (IT), Modica (IT), Vittoria (IT), Guimarães (PT), Funchal (PT), Évora (PT), Sétubal (PT), Sesimbra (PT), Ampelokipi-Menemeni (GR), Thermi (GR), Chania (GR), Heraklion (GR), Rijeka (HR) and Siero (ES).

On a larger scale, the project will be helping cities and towns comply with §25 of the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). This directive obliges municipalities with more than 45,000 inhabitants to develop local heating and cooling plans. To inspire a profound local energy transformation, other municipalities with similar needs will be able to learn from these case studies and develop similar local heating and cooling plans. The experiences from pilot cities in developing local heating and plans will also feed into policy recommendations on a national, regional and local level.

Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.