Driving up Regional Cooperation for Renewables in the European Union

Renewable energy sources (RES) will have to play a predominant role in EU’s future energy mix. However, the current policy and regulatory framework does not entirely facilitate this transition but rather reflects a business-as-usual approach. Given this weak policy framework, there is one mechanism, which may still help to increase the share of renewables to the scale and speed which is needed given today`s challenges: The idea of regional cooperation. Regional cooperation can effectively bridge the gap between national renewables policies and a Europeanised approach to renewables deployment.

The Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBF) EU office and the World Future Council are hosting a series of stakeholder workshops to further develop, discuss and exchange solutions enhancing and strengthening regional cooperation aiming at a sustainable energy transition. The goal is to provide concrete examples and transferrable policy solutions by discussing crucial questions with and in frontrunner regions. Therefore it will be organised in the framework of HBF’s #Regions4GreenEconomy series which are organised together with the representatives of different German Länder in Brussels, and the Global 100% RE Campaign.

The kick-off event will take place in the form of a stakeholder workshop on 25 and 26 of April 2016 in Brussels. The first day (25 April) will gather regional experts from across Europe to discuss practical for regional renewable energy cooperation. The second day (26 April) provides a platform for policy dialogue with EU institutions to explore how to foster RES deployment in the European Union by strengthening regions and regional cooperation.

Representatives from the European Commission, European Parliament, energy regulators and other stakeholders from Brussels are invited to share their views and perspectives. The findings from the first debate – including the strengths and challenges of and for the local cooperation projects – will be presented. Finally, participants are invited to jointly develop ideas on how to build and strengthen a political process for regional cooperation on RE in the EU.

Please click here for the agenda and further detail on the programme.

Please click here to register.

For further information, please contact Kathrin.Glastra@eu.boell.org.