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Cities on Power (CoP)
Start date: Jun 30, 2011, End date: Jun 29, 2014 PROJECT  FINISHED 

The challenge of the global climate change and the pressure on resources stemming from the global competition combined with the high dependency of the energy import of the European Union requires concerted strategies and innovative adaptation approaches. The EU directive on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources (RES) from 23rd April 2010 imposes on the EU Member States the obligation to ensure that the share of the energy from renewable sources reaches the target of 20% in the Community’s gross final production of energy in 2020. It obliges the Member States to adopt the renewable energy action plans setting out the national targets. This ambitious target cannot be met without the involvement and commitment of the cities whose energy demand equals for 73% of the gross energy demand of the EU.Better exploitation of renewable energy strengthens the competitiveness of the European cities, regions and a business, reduces the energy dependency and secures the sustainability of energy supply and reduces the vulnerability to the global competition for fossil fuels. The project “Cities on Power” (CoP) reaffirms the relevance of concerted activities aimed at the increased use of RES in the urban context under consideration of peculiarities of the cities, seeking joint approaches to better exploitation of RES and diversification of the energy supply in the urban context. The project is deeply rooted in the local activities of the involved public authorities and expert institutions aimed at the promotion of sustainable development. Achievements: The Cities on Power project aims to increase the use of renewable energy sources in the urban context. It prepares the legal and organizational framework to encourage investments in renewable energy. Over 70% of the EU’s energy is consumed by cities. Having that in mind, the Cities on Power project intends to contribute to the European Union target of 20% production of renewable energy by 2020. The project is carried out in co-operation with public authorities from Warsaw, Klagenfurt, Ravenna and Turin and five expert institutions from Poland, Austria, Italy and Germany. Renewable energy sources, although progressively increasing, are calling for a new outburst to reach the EU2020 target. The current energy system needs to change its face to reduce the weaknesses and boost the economic growth. The aim of the project is to develop and endorse Local Action Plans with innovative financial and organizational tools to trigger the application of renewable energy both by public and private investors in the four partner cities. The project currently is afetr halfway of investigating the feasibility of application of renewable energy in the selected public buildings and finalizing pilot investments. The partnership has continued to develop an interactive IT-toolbox with maps of solar and geothermal potential, which will allow citizens to estimate how much energy they could derive from solar panels and heat-pumps installed in their household - and when their investment would return. By realizing these activities, Cities on Power intends to mobilize citizens and local authorities to increase their interest in renewable energy, to foster renewable energy development in urban areas and, consequently, contribute to decrease of greenhouse gases’ emission in EU cities. New forms of active citizenship are developed in the field of renewable energies. The involved population is boosting the application of renewables: citizen-friendly, decentralized, democratic - that's the motto. At the same time, the project evaluated regulative frameworks implemented to ease the breakthrough of renewables. These are the basis for another important requirement for the energy turnaround: citizens’ investment of time and resources. Therefore, “Cities on power” analysed and refined various participating instruments for specific target groups. The above tools were used while organizing Local Renewable Energy Days in cities and regions and allowed to verify stakeholders' opinions and remarks on the assumptions for elaboration Local Action Plans in involved cities and regions.
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  • 78.5%   1 832 765,00
  • 2007 - 2013 Central Europe
  • Project on KEEP Platform
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8 Partners Participants