News

FIRST TRANSNATIONAL MEETING - MADRID/MEDINACELI OCTOBER 18-21, 2016

From 18 to 21 October, IROKO DFS hosted in Madrid/Medinaceli the first transnational meeting of the Erasmus+ project Educating on “Climate Forests”. During these days, 10 people from different countries (Turkey, Italy, Czech Republic, Slovenia, and Spain) have worked to settle the project methodology. We also have achieved different agreements needed to guarantee the best project implementation.

IROKO’s team presented several environmental education activities to all meeting participants. These activities were evaluated in situ and improved using a participatory approach. This first meeting has been extremely beneficial to all the participants because now they all know perfectly the project and its conditions.

As an added value for the meeting and for the project, a field visit was conducted to the rural area in Soria (a province in Spain).

The objective, becoming aware of common European problems: the rural exodus and the difficult management of its forests. For this occasion, we had the chance of being accompanied by Pedro Medrano, director of the “Soria Forest Association”. He presented us how the “Montes de Socios” (Partners' Woodlands) forest management initiative works. In addition, we also met José Raúl Gómez, the major of the municipality called “El Royo”. He explained us the current Soria’s situation related to the problem of depopulation.

Moreover, we use the opportunity of this First Transnational Meeting to make two cultural visits, to Medinaceli and Soria. Thanks to these visits the participants have now a wider understanding of the Spanish culture and history.

At the end of the meeting, we clarify which tasks have to be done by each project partner for the next transnational meeting at Ptuj, Slovenia, (11 - 14 January 2017).

If you want to know more about the agreements achieved during this first transnational meeting, below you can download the minutes and other relevant documents.

Contact

Contact person:
Mateja Koler
Phone: +386 2 749 32 12
Fax: +386 2 749 32 17
E-mail:

Project purpose

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT:

The project is focusing on diversification of energy sources with significant increase of renewable energy sources (RES) and effective, energy saving, sustainable and safety development of power engineering regarding the environmental protection. ENERGYREGION project undertakes these challenges and goals with regard to selected Regions, which are represented by local government. International cooperation will enable transfer of knowledge and exchange of best practices and innovations. This should enable creation of conditions for quick realization of difficult goals accepted by EU.

The project aims to elaborate diversified energy supplying systems with high participation of effective and environmentally safe RES for selected regions and paths for their creation. This will contribute to reduce CO₂ emissions to stop global climate change. This realization is determined by diversification of energy sources with significant increase of RES and effective, energy saving, sustainable and safety development of power engineering regarding the environmental protection. The project concerns development and barriers of development of main RES: biomass, wind, water and sun. The project analyses existing renewable sources with regard to environment protection.

Countries involved in the project are not equally prepared for quick development of renewable energy in the terms of staff, resourced identification and knowledge of technology and tools. Renewable energy in Poland, Czech Republic and Slovenia is underdeveloped in relation to Germany. Production of renewable energy will have to be increased in the nearest future because of EU limitations on CO₂ emission and very high fees. There are various RES in mentioned countries, for example Slovenia does not use wind for power generation at all. Development of research methods is insufficient, for example assessment of wind potential in each area. National development strategies are not sufficiently developed. Underdevelopment also concerns reduction of energy consumption in services, production and building industry.

The project main goals are to identify an energy consumer’s needs; to establish development trends and possibilities for an autonomous energy regions establishment; identify of RES potential and perspectives. 

Works included in each country concentrate on dispersed energy industry development in chosen Regions:

• Dolny Slask (Poland)
• Hessen (Germany)
• Morava (Czech Republic)
• Podravska region (Slovenia)

Main project activities

1. Identification of demands - Power engineering of a consumer

• Methodology for recognition of energy needs of consumers
• Social considerations with using various forms of energy
• Rationalization of consumption and energy costs
• Importance of safety of energy supplies for various forms of energy
• Autonomous energy systems resulting in benefits for regions
• Proposal of system of energy safety for end consumers

2. Identification of energy potential in Region

• Development of dispersed energy in Regions (modelling)

3. Energy savings potential evaluation

• Scenarios of energy solutions implementation

4. Knowledge transfer, know-how and innovation for effective development of dispersed energy

• Recommendations of technologies application in Regions

5. Communication, knowledge management and dissemination

• Setting and maintenance of project web-site

Contact

Darko Ferčej
Phone: +386 2 749 32 25
Fax: +386 2 749 32 17
E-mail:

Project summary

The competitiveness of a region in the global environment can be determined through the cost of production and the quality of goods and services produced. The cost of wages per worked hour, cost of the machine per hour, the cost of raw materials and energy are the main parameters that can be influenced to some extent. However, the essential are costs per produced unit. Comparison of regions with a high level of wages and international regions is possible with assumption that the product is manufactured and sold at a competitive price. This required the formula as follows: more efficient, more effective and more intelligent. Referring to the parameter "energy", measures of optimization are required according to the method of the produce energy (renewable energy, synergetic binding systems), energy stocks (tank, fuel cells, etc.), the distribution of energy (smart grids), as well as the use of energy (smart production, smart metering - feedback, smart homes). The possibility of effective and efficient use of energy extends from the manufactures through distributors of energy all the way to the consumers. The objective is to optimize the integrated system and process, which requires integration. Particularly promising is the use of so-called transverse technologies. These technologies cannot be limited to one particular branch of industry, but widespread used in all branches of information and communication technology, automation, material sciences, bio and nanotechnology, etc.

The target groups of the project are science and economy. Science gets the opportunity to explore and guidance in strategic topics in the field of energy efficiency, efficient use of energy and the basis for the implementation of intelligent technologies.

Main Goals

Project efforts are focused on the promotion of cooperation between companies and research institutions in the field of sustainable energy technologies. Cooperation is a condition for make cross-border technology platform, which will be included in the international network.

The project thematic center of gravity is renewable energy, efficient energy use, energy production, energy distribution and intelligent manufacturing technology.

Main outputs

• Identification of research area – establishment of the building blocks for creation of the energy research center.
• Assembling the design center for energy exploration – transregional innovative space with cooperative partnership between both regions - appointment of a legal entity to carry out research projects.
• Creating the negotiating road map for the acquisition and beginning of the first pilot projects in defined areas of research.

Contact

Darko Ferčej
Phone: +386 2 749 32 25
Fax: +386 2 749 32 17 
E-mail:

Project summary

More than 1,5 mio. residents lives in 24.000 residential homes for elderly people (RCHEP) joined under European Association of Directors of Residential Care Homes for the Elderly People (E.D.E.) Association. Energy efficiency in most of homes is on very low level because of management unawareness of energy efficiency benefits and because of lack of knowledge and organization in residential homes. Moreover RCHEP does not fully recognize benefits of energy efficiency nor can they afford employment of experts with specific technical skills.

Sector is specific also because of financial limitations since every investment lays as burden of elderly people and their relatives paying bills for hospitality. Inevitable ageing of European population will contribute to worsening of the situation in future. Since employees and managers of RCHEP are mainly social care professionals, they lack knowledge on energy efficiency and in many cases also foreign language skills and in some cases even computer literacy. Because of mentioned background, first step has to be done with changing RCHEM managers’ attitude towards more energy efficiency.

Project was built upon analysis of current situation, searching of technical, behavioural, knowledge and financial obstacles in the way of energy efficiency in RCHEP. Secondly, project was used already established network of 24.000 homes under E.D.E. association to present and oblige RCHEP to implement energy efficiency strategy and action plan with aim to stimulate investment and non-investment measures leading to energy efficiency.

Contact

Darko Ferčej
Phone: +386 2 749 32 25
Fax.: +386 2 749 3217
E-mail:

Files

1_IEE razpis 1 (1024 Kb)

2_Predstavitev SAVE AGE_Mons_8_3_Fercej_1 (252 Kb)

3_PPP_BioEnerGIS_Info dan_1 (616 Kb)

6_obrazec_za_predstavitev_projektnih_idej_IEE-IRIUL_1 (134 Kb)

7_Partner Search IEE_Waste management_1 (144 Kb)

8_Partner Search IEE_Eco Gym_1 (142 Kb)

9_SouthDK_IntellEnergyCalculator_Feb11_1 (574 Kb)

10_Passivhaus Oslo 25Feb2011_1 (773 Kb)

11_Mobility in the cities ITENE 19Jan2011_1 (91 Kb)

SAVE AGE newsletter_1_si (853 Kb)

SAVE AGE newsletter_2_si (745 Kb)

SAVE AGE newsletter 3_si (640 Kb)

Brief Summary

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE PROJECT:

Article 13 of the 2009/28/EC Directive requires minimum share of renewables for new buildings and major renovations. Given the current very low construction rate for new buildings, renovation play a key role for addressing a large part of the building stock, thus assuring a powerful and fruitful implementation of the Directive. Before the Directive was issued, several cities, regions or even countries already established “renewable building codes”, where minimum contributions from renewables to the energy supply of the building were foreseen. However, these building codes very often do not allow a wide use of renewables, because:

• their scope just include only new buildings and not renovations;
• buildings located in protected areas are often exempted, even though the extension of these areas are actually relevant. Moreover, renovations, especially of large buildings, are complicated from several points of view (administrative/procedural, ownership structure, owner-tenant dilemma, and high investment, technical).

The project aims at allowing a major diffusion of solar thermal, reducing the barriers to its use in major renovations in multi-family buildings located in urban and/or protected areas.

Experienced partners will bring in best practice experiences, to build up a “know-how pool” where to coach “replication partners” from. Moreover, also experienced partners will improve their experiences and models within the project. The development of the project will always be led by and adjusted according to the needs of the target groups (communities, potential local investor, solar thermal industry).

The project foresees the implementation of practical actions in the participating communities, preceded by a study of the local boundary conditions and needs and by the adjustment of suitable schemes. Also EU wide and strong dissemination activity is foreseen, running all over the time frame of the project, in order to assure a proper impact of the action.

In order to reach this goal, the project outcomes and results will accelerate deployment and stimulate investments for solar for heating in large buildings or groups of buildings, by opening new market segments activities for the application of solar thermal, as well as to obtaining commitments by decision makers for developing ST in these same market segments.

The project, during its lifetime, aims at reaching the following main objectives:

• accelerate deployment and stimulate investments for solar for heating in large buildings or groups of buildings, by opening new market segments activities for the application of solar thermal (city centers, large renovations, protected areas and buildings) and obtaining commitments by decision makers for developing solar thermal in these market segments;
• capacity building for target group (communities, local stakeholders, solar thermal industry) regarding models for spreading ST in buildings;
• increase of the specialized know-how of ST manufacturers, which will be able to provide solutions for turn-key plants in demanding situations (e.g. architectural integration needed);
• promote modified and improved building codes or ordinances, which will take into account the results of the project (e.g. agreement between a cultural heritage institution and a Region or modification of a solar thermal obligation).

MAIN CONSEQUENCES OF THE ACTIVITIES FORESEEN IN THE WORKPLAN

• renewable heat obligations will have a wider scope, thanks to the inclusion of renovations and protected areas, which will not be automatically exempted
• communities and local stakeholders will have the necessary expertise to deal with diffusion of solar thermal plants in demanding urban situations
• ST manufacturers will increase their specialised know-how and will be able to provide solutions for turn-key plants in demanding situations (e.g. architectural integration needed)

promote modified and improved building codes or ordinances, which will take into account the results of the project (e.g. agreement between a cultural heritage institution and a Region or modification of a solar thermal obligation)

Contact

Darko Ferčej
Phone: +386 2 749 32 25
Fax: +386 2 749 32 17
E-mail:

Cooperation with Center of higher-education Ptuj

E-institute, within the framework of project activities, has recognized the opportunity in   local environment offered by Business Educational Center (MIC) acting within the School Center Ptuj. The primary purpose of the MIC is to promote cooperation between industry and the education system and contribute to the development of both sectors.

In order to promote the competitiveness of the local economy, the project MOVE (SI-AT 2007-2013) established a demonstration center of solar technologies in order to apply the practical training program for installers of solar technologies. The demonstration center allows a direct comparison of the use of solar energy with different technologies (water heating and electricity production), while serving as a tool for a students of program installer for renewable energy sources. The tool enables the implementation of practical plumbing work installation and repair of solar modules in the real world. The center has been designed taking into account the established best practices from Burgenland.

Picture 1: Solar Technologies Demonstration-Center

The premises of MIC offer an opportunity to further develop the training center for installers of emerging renewable technologies, equipped with the latest training equipment. In cooperation between E-institute and Austrian partners a new education program has been developed. Followed by train-the-trainers program conducted in Güssing, Austria - based on the curriculum aimed at improving knowledge and competence base in the field of RES installations. MIC Ptuj has provided the necessary facilities for carrying out trainings; the project Recovery on the other hand covered the investments into training equipment.

The proposed training program is aimed at students of technical fields, job seekers and businesses offering specialized practical knowledge and capacity-building in field of RES technologies.

Implementation of the activities has been enabled by the cross-border cooperation program Slovenia Austria, in partnership with project MOVE (promoting best practices in energy efficiency and RES) and project RECOVERY (improving competitiveness and economic growth of cross-border area).

Picture 2: Solar Technologies Demonstration-center		Picture 3: Opening of the education center for installers of renewable technologies in MIC
Picture 4: Education activities in knowledge/learning center

Contact

Saša Erlih
Phone: +386 2 749 32 26
Fax.: +386 2 749 32 17
E-mail: 

Files

Move e-novica SI 1 (709 Kb) (Slovene Version)

Move e-news DE 1 (736 Kb) (German Version)

Project purpose

The situation in the field of energy efficiency is below the available potential in cross-border region. Assessment of the situation shows a high regional potential, which could be achieved by area. The region's energy consumption in all sectors is too high so it is necessary to address this problem systematically and cover all sectors of energy consumption. Opportunity is reflected in conversion of savings in more beneficial spheres of other capacities in the region, especially at the level of environment protection and reduction of GH emissions.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES:

• the establishment of cross-border development;
• implementation of RUE pilot projects;
• promote the use of renewable energy sources;
• transfer of good practices and concepts;
• cross-border cooperation in the field of energy efficiency;
• inclusion of households, public buildings and the economy;
• promoting public energy awareness.

ADDED VALUE:

• increase the local energy independence in cross-border area;
• raising the living standard of the inhabitants in the border area;
• increase the air quality in the cross border region;
• increasing the importance of lifelong learning through training programs;
• releasing the additional capital in the public and private sectors for investment.

Contact

Saša Erlih
Phone: +386 2 749 32 26
Fax.: +386 2 749 32 17
e-mail:

Files

Sporočilo za medije 1 (364 Kb)(Slovene Only)

Project summary

Hydropower represents an important source of renewable energy and represents a significant contribution to reducing CO₂ emissions. However, hydropower plants also represent a certain impact on the environment, which cannot be neglected. The EU on the one hand with the directives promote the use of renewable energy sources, on the other hand, is limited by environmental directives. This is confusing for decision-makers in the process of preparation the energy policies and in preparation of guidelines for environmentally friendly hydroelectric power plants, because the criteria of all relevant directives should be encounter.

PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The main purpose of the project has been focus in development of a multicriteria analysis, which takes into account energy and environmental directives in the use of hydropower and facilitate the preparation of hydroelectric policies in the Alpine area:

• to define, share and test the decision-making frameworks for the use of hydropower in the Alpine area;
• to classify scenarios to optimize the use of water resources in Alpine areas;
• to establish a set of universally acceptable and comparable indicators and standards of monitoring the use of water resources to meet the needs of hydropower;
• to produce a typology of vulnerability of Alpine water resources;
• contribute to achieving the objectives of the Water Framework Directive in practice.

Contact

Darko Ferčej
Phone: +386 2 749 32 25
Fax.: +386 2 749 32 17
E-mail:

Project summary

Mediterranean regions are facing common challenges such as the development of competitiveness, economic development and environmental management. In the process of globalization, the region must actively respond to the above challenges, especially with increased support for innovation and competitiveness while respecting environmental requirements. The development of renewable energy sources can be an important source of energy for the region. Despite the great potential of the Mediterranean, the low exploitation of RES is shown. RES sector represents the "dividend" for the growth of new jobs, the involvement of small and medium-sized enterprises, local development actors for environmentally positive effect.

Encouragement and promotion of renewable energy sources is therefore for the regions of the Mediterranean area essential. The development requires renewable energy sources and improved conditions for balanced regional policy of RES sector. The project provides short-term measures to strengthen the long-term competitiveness by investing in different areas; in particular, knowledge of future energy needs as a lever to create new jobs and clean technologies to promote energy efficiency and innovation.

KEY WORDS: Renewable Energy, Environment, Sustainable Development, Competitiveness, Innovation, Employment, Capitalization, Agriculture, Land,

Contact

Darko Ferčej
Phone: +386 2 749 32 25
Fax.: +386 2 749 32 17
E-mail:

Project summary

Project Recovery primarily aim is raising the awareness and training of target groups and then supported the idea that lead to the realization of business opportunities that are innovative, competitive, energy-efficient, environmentally friendly, to improve the quality of life for residents in this area. Because the area shows great energy potential, the Austrian partner already effectively exploits the purpose of the transfer of good practice from Güssing in Slovenia. The identification of "smart business ideas" and solutions to increase entrepreneurial activity to promote these "smart investment" by developing innovative potentials in a new way, both in the area of providing assistance as a way out of the crisis, as proposed by the European Commission.

PROJECT OBJECTIVE:

The main objective of the project is to increase the Recovery competitiveness and economic growth of cross-border areas in Austria and Slovenia. To seek and support the implementation of the employment of the unemployed and speed up the reconstruction process of the economy in the post-crisis period of slow growth.

Contact

Matjaž Gerl
Tel.: +386 2 749 32 26
Fax.: +386 2 749 32 17
E-mail: