19th-20th September 2024

From Thursday, September 19th, to Friday, September 20th, the REDI4Heat Project held its 5th General Assembly in Brussels at the offices of EGEC (European Geothermal Energy Council), a partner in the project. This milestone event brought together representatives from all partner institutions to review the progress of the project and define the next steps in driving decarbonization in the heating and cooling (H&C) sectors.

Day 1: Reviewing Progress and Refining NECPs Assessment Guidelines

The first day focused on assessing feedback received on the Progress Report submitted earlier in the year, which has since been approved. Partners engaged in productive discussions on how to enhance the impact of the project moving forward. This was followed by a detailed review of the methodology being employed in Work Package 3 (WP3), which aims to develop the NECPs Assessment Guidelines. These guidelines will serve as a crucial framework, drawing from the identification of Key Success Factors at both national and local levels, as well as best practices identified in previous project stages.

Day 2: Policy Adoption Scenarios and Future Steps

On the second day, discussions shifted to Work Package 4 (WP4), which is focused on the development of Policy Adoption Scenarios for the decarbonization of the H&C sector. The outcomes from other work packages are feeding into WP4’s efforts to identify the barriers, opportunities, and technologies essential for the implementation of decarbonized heating and cooling policies. Moreover, WP4 will define concrete actions targeting specific regions and a minimum of three cities to foster the uptake of renewable H&C policies. Continuing with Work Package 5 (WP5) that successfully produced already an online map on Renewable Heating and Cooling Measures and 3 Policy Briefings on H&C measures in RED, EED, EPBD, and finally the Policy Tracker, mapping national changes and initiatives for integrating the EU targets to achieve the goals of the heating transition at national level

Capacity Building and Future Outlook

Two years into the REDI4Heat project, the partners have gathered a wealth of materials, allowing them to initiate the Capacity Building event programme. This program will present a series of national case studies, fostering discussions on overcoming barriers, sharing insights on successful projects, and strengthening collaboration among stakeholders. Key materials, such as the Heat Transition Toolbox and national and local Policy Adoption Scenarios, will be showcased during these events, alongside local case studies and capacity-building sessions aimed at accelerating decarbonization in Europe’s heating and cooling sectors.

The 5th General Assembly underscored the project’s commitment to driving forward policy adoption and capacity building in the heating and cooling sectors, with promising strategies and collaborations on the horizon.