ENERgy coopERation for Growth, Innovation, and Zero Emissions in Industrial Parks

Introduction

Despite being the cornerstone of Europe's economy, the industrial sector is responsible for a vast amount of CO2 emissions. To align with the Net Zero Emissions (NZE) by 2050 Scenario, Energy Communities have emerged as a promising solution, although they remain uncommon in industrial areas.

Project Overview

In this context, the ENERGIZE+ project seeks to demonstrate the feasibility of cooperative energy models in selected EU industrial zones:

1. Manresa, Catalonia
2. Valesia Region, Italy
3. Zlín Region, Czech Republic
4. Upper Austria

By fostering energy collaboration, the project aims to achieve significant carbon reduction.

Goals and Impact

With a focus on significant carbon reduction, the project emphasizes:

• Company participation
• Training and skills development
• Energy savings
• Renewable energy generation
• GHG emissions reduction
• Job creation
• Impacts for policy making and stakeholder outreach

The project aims to inspire global adoption of sustainable industrial energy practices. It is noteworthy that ENERGIZE+ has already secured the support of over 20 industry players and associations, Industrial Parks, Councils, among others.

Team and Methodology

The ENERGIZE+ project has been designed by a leading multidisciplinary team of researchers, regional and EU level agencies, and expert companies from the energy sector. It stands as a pioneering initiative to tackle the challenges experienced by the industrial sector, demonstrating the feasibility of creating Industrial Renewable Energy Communities using cooperative energy models.

Accessibility and Replicability

In order to ensure access to and replicability of the project's outputs, the training and capacity building tools developed will be digitized and made available through a community-based Digital Hub. This hub will cater to professionals interested in energy communities and collaborative energy models. They will benefit from an acceleration programme that has been tested and validated in the four pilot industrial zones, with KPIs tracked and widely disseminated.