Author: Heike Unterpertinger

We all know how demanding data collection is. But when you have great partners to work with, the process becomes much easier! And LED bulbs can help, too.

ENOVA’s great partner, the Municipality of Ilijaš, helped us gather valuable data in June – what are the mind-sets and opinions of citizens when we talk about replacing their old heating systems with a new one or with renewable energy sources! Based on the collected data, we will conduct information campaigns to define policies and actions to replace and to improve the lives of citizens through the three-year project #REPLACE, which is funded by the HORIZON2020 program.

As a small sign of gratitude, all participants in the survey received LED light bulbs A ++, which contributes to the promotion of the use of energy efficient appliances in households in Sarajevo Canton.

More Information in Bosnian

Local Working Groups play a central role in the REPLACE project. They help to prepare the ground for regional replacement campaigns towards efficient heating and cooling, and they steer the direction of replacement activities. In order to reach that goal, the Local Working Groups connect all key actors in each REPLACE region.

In the 10 REPLACE regions from Western over Central to Southeastern Europe, the set up of Local Working Groups has started in the first half of 2020. Participants invited come from national authorities, local or regional governments, self-government units, consumer associations, developers, energy utilities, and professional associations e.g. of craftsmen, entrepreneurs or energy controllers.

Report D2.4 shows an in-depth overview of the work that has already been done on national and local level in order to replace inefficient heating and cooling systems. It includes 22 campaigns for the promotion of heating and cooling equipment that took place inside the REPLACE regions, plus five more campaigns that occurred outside the target regions.

Report D2.3 provides information on the status quo of Collective Actions (CAs), Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) and Citizens’ Energy Communities (CECs). Altogether, 19 demand-response actions and 28 examples for collective actions in the REPLACE target countries are shown.

The focus of report D2.2 lies on legal aspects that impede the market acceptance of renewable heating and cooling systems. The barriers, their causes and consequences are the main topics of this report.

A particularly complex problem addressed is related to multi-family buildings to which the Housing Law applies. Furthermore, sharing responsibilities in the energy sector can make it difficult to make decisions at the local level. In this context, it was investigated whether there is an environment for the development of the energy services market and whether and how the use and promotion of renewable energy is encouraged and supported. Other topics are the conflict of interest between flat owners and tenants, barriers referring to decision making introduced in Tenancy Law, and funding to finance incentives.

Countries covered by the report are Austria, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Germany, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, and Spain.

Report D2.1 on framework conditions presents an overview of policy strategies, measures and instruments related to heating and cooling (HC) equipment. It identifies the main replacement drivers and barriers, and presents success stories of HC replacement projects/instruments in each project region, which can potentially be replicated. And the report identifies five key challenges for the implementation of RHC replacement, e.g. better awareness of end-consumers for more informed decisions, and regulatory provisions that give a clear planning horizon and milestones for a complete phase out of fossil fuelled and inefficient heating systems.

Countries covered by the report are Austria, Bulgaria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Germany, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, and Spain.

The second REPLACE consortium meeting took place 19th – 20th May 2020. Originally planned to proceed in one of the project’s partner regions, the Bavarian Oberland in Germany, due to Covid19 the venue was changed into a virtual, but nonetheless fruitful collaboration. Besides the 12 project partners, the team this time could welcome three advisory board members:

The first meeting of REPLACE’s Oberland Local Working Group took place on 25^th February – a date with the descriptive name “sooty Friday” which is a traditional chimney sweepers’ day in the region. At the meeting in Penzberg, knowledge and networks were brought together to bundle forces for a heating system change in the region. Representatives from energy consultancies, chimney sweepers, the Chamber of Crafts for Munich and Oberbayern, and the Consumer Advice Center Bavaria were present.