Green Energy Cluster: Successful community-based energy transition in Romania
Kinga Xenia HAVADI NAGY, Babes-Bolyai University, Romania
Tihamér Levente SEBESTYÉN , Babes-Bolyai University, Romania
Becoming climate-neutral by 2050 is the objective behind the European Green Deal. Romania reached its 2020 EU renewables target of 24% of final energy consumption coming from renewable sources already in 2017 (EC Eurostat 2020). However, after a favourable start, it has witnessed a decline in terms of renewable energy attractiveness, partly due to the lack of appropriate regulations and governmental support (EY Romania 2021). In order to reach its 2030 renewables target and to achieve a comprehensive energy transition, several recommendations of Ernst & Young Romania report (2021) emphasis specific market mechanisms to ensure maximum benefits for participants to harness the full potential of renewables integration, as well the adoption of new technologies and the enhancement of decentralized energy generation, which would increase the share of clean energy to be installed (EY Romania 2021).
The focus of this survey is the Green Energy Cluster (GEC), a social economy cluster in Romania, which exercises these recommendations. The GEC aims to advance the use of community-scale biomass energy throughout Romania by providing technical consulting services, biomass energy program design and delivery, and education as well as outreach on best practices (GEC).
Based on qualitative research, the survey`s ambition is to analyse this endeavour of bottom-up process of energy transition, to reflect upon the actors of change, the dynamics of the network, and the transformations occurred in the society and the territory.
First results reveal the economic and social benefits owing to the implementation of inclusive bioenergy technology, and the establishment of a new sustainable energy management mentality in the communities. These practices could inspire to pay more attention on national level to the potential of the biomass in contributing to raise the share of energy from renewable sources for heating and to accomplish the 2030 renewables targets.
Mots clés : renewable energy|governance|decentralisation|biomass|sustainability
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