The project is financed under the 2007/2013 ENPI CBC MED, a European multilateral Cross-Border Cooperation Programme.
GR.ENE.CO stems from the need to improve the energy efficiency in the Mediterranean area by spreading the use of renewable energies as main power source, particularly at the farm level.
The promotion of REs production and consumption (solar, wind, biomass, and hydropower) and the improvement of energy efficiency at the level of productive activities – in particular crop production – may greatly contribute to reduce greenhouse effect emissions following Kyoto commitments, and to mitigate the effects of climate changes.
This way, people will not be dependent on limited resources anymore, reducing social and political troubles connected to the continued reliance on conventional energy sources. To this purpose, GR.ENE.CO offers several tools for supporting local farmers from Sardinia, Egypt and Lebanon in the adoption of RES as usual power sources.
Objectives
Due to the spreading of the RES plants use and by ensuring the energy self-sufficiency, GR.ENE.CO contributes to strengthen SMEs innovation capacities, knowledge management and networking. This will lead to a reduction in the emissions of some noxious gases, thus leading to a healthier environment. At the same time, it clearly contributes to promote and reinforce the European and Mediterranean dimension of renewable energies by facilitating cross border comparisons and cohesion so as to best work together to confront the critical challenges in the issues of energy, climate and environment protection. It is an important bridge between both Northern and Southern sides of the Mediterranean Sea, contributing to the know-how, technologies and best practices transfer other than and supporting local farmers in the adoption of RES as usual power sources.
Activities
Research & Energy planning: analysis of RES available to match it with local energy needs and then elaborate an energy development plan to be further implemented.
Pilot projects: Private and public experimental interventions by implementing green energy infrastructures and plants.
Increasing awareness and capitalization: training activities to promote and raise awareness on REs, energy and environmental saving at local level including workshops, training courses and seminars.
Mediterranean REs Tools: REs funding tools to stimulate and give financial support to farms for settling pilot RES plants and expertise, techniques and REs methodologies sharing instruments among farms belonging to the project area.
GR.ENE.CO Network: operational channel made of public and private organizations for strengthening and prosecuting the overall action.
Results
GR.ENE.CO wants to be a valid instrument of spreading the local public consciousness on RES benefits from one country to the others, in particular local farmers’ awareness in order to embed sustainable behaviour in their crop system as well as their lifestyles.
Thanks to the cross-border approach the necessary critical mass to proceed in the introduction of alternative energy sources will be reached enhancing natural issues of the Mediterranean countries. Through the proposed activities, GR.ENE.CO develops business skills in the field of technological innovation and energy saving for the advancement of knowledge about REs and increasing its utilization.
As a long-term result, conscious of its benefits, not only the farms involved in the pilot project will increase but also the number of farms willing to adopt a green plant.