The past year has been full of challenges and impacted the working manner, thus limiting the opportunity for key stakeholders networking. In order to get collaborators, partners and prominent representatives from different energy sectors familiar with each other and to the REPLACE project, but also due to facilitated COVID-19 measures, we did not want to exclude the opportunity to organize an onsite event where participants can face to face exchange experiences and be up to date with the state-of the-art sustainable heating and cooling systems.
Therefore, on June 25, 2021 SDEWES-Skopje invited the prominent expert and professor at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Zagreb, Croatia, prof. Dr. Neven Duic to emphasize the need for decarbonization of the heating sector at national level, focusing on the region that is part of the REPLACE project. This event was attended by more than 30 key stakeholders, representing the KAGoP region, Ministry of Economy, Ministry of Environment, City of Skopje, Energy Agency, UNDP, MANU, FEEIT, BEG MEPSO, EBRD, as well as non-governmental organizations and companies in the field of RES heating and cooling.
Prof. dr. Duic spoke about the relevant possibilities for replacing inefficient heating and cooling systems in the KAGOP region, noting similar good practices that already exist across Europe. At the end a successful discussion followed, that will continue as a second part conducted online, which would complete this event as a hybrid event in order to promote the REPLACE project and its effective replace complains and tools to a broader audience.
Next on the agenda until the end of the year:
- Mid-September: Conducting a Training for intermediaries and investors
- September/October: Conducting the third REPLACE webinar – presentation of the REPLACE your heating systems calculator and heating matrices
- October/November: Organisation of an Open day for best practice RHC system
- November/December: Labelling-campaign for 100% renewable heating or cooling
Deviations are expected due to uncertainties with COVID measures!