Public Authorities together with a holistic network approach on the way to low-carbon municipalities

Project Information

PATH2LC

Grant agreement ID: 892560

DOI

10.3030/892560

Project closed

EC signature date 5 May 2020

Start date 1 September 2020

End date 31 August 2023

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 1 497 892,50

EU contribution

€ 1 497 892,50

Coordinated by

IREES GMBH - INSTITUT FUR RESSOURCENEFFIZIENZ UND ENERGIESTRATEGIEN
Germany

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - PATH2LC (Public Authorities together with a holistic network approach on the way to low-carbon municipalities)

Reporting period: 2022-03-01 to 2023-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

In the PATH2LC project, public authorities are working together within the framework of a holistic network approach - so-called learning municipality networks (LMNs) - with the aim to achieve low-carbon municipalities.
Municipalities play a crucial role in the transition to a low-carbon society. They significantly contribute to greenhouse gas emissions through energy consumption in buildings and transportation. Throughout Europe, various municipal networks strive to achieve climate goals through mutual support (e.g. the Covenant of Mayors). These networks benefit from informal exchange and a common understanding of their overall target as well as from supporting instruments and materials. However, the missing piece in most of these networks is a close cooperation in the form of regular, well organised and moderated meetings.
The concept of Learning Municipality Networks (LMNs) is proposed, inspired by the well-established network approach of the so-called learning energy efficiency networks (LEEN) in companies. LEENs have proven to be an effective instrument for the implementation of energy-efficient measures in companies and in reducing CO2 emissions. The PATH2LC project proposes to adapt this approach and apply it to networks of municipalities. The methodology of the LMNs follows a certain concept, which addresses the challenges by facilitation of meetings, target setting and commitment, social control processes and mutual motivation. The core piece in these networks is the close cooperation in the form of regular, well-organised and facilitated meetings during which they report on their activities and exchange their experiences.

The overarching objective of the PATH2LC project is to support policymakers and public authorities at the local level in the transition process towards a low-carbon society through peer-to-peer learning, sharing cross-country experiences, and increased engagement in energy and climate transition. We intend to enable municipalities to obtain the competencies and skills needed for the implementation of energy-saving or climate protection measures. The capacity building focuses on topics such as heating and cooling planning, energy in buildings, renewable energy, stakeholder engagement and financing. A big advantage of this approach is that the municipalities are accompanied in their process to implement measures of their existing SE(C)APs as well as to draft long-term energy transition roadmaps. The affected societies are going to benefit through reduced carbon emissions, cleaner environment and resulting health benefits.
This project unites five existing municipal networks in five countries (France, Greece, Italy, Netherlands, Portugal) to implement the concept, supported by scientific and dissemination partners.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The five existing networks of municipalities in five countries took over the implementation part of the project. They were supported by scientific and dissemination partners.
The project comprised five key work packages:
WP1: Project management
WP2: Implementation and accompaniment of LMNs
WP3: Capacity building for developing energy transition roadmaps towards 2050
WP4: Outcome and process evaluation
WP5: Communication and dissemination
Within the project, monthly committee calls, and in total 6 project meetings were taking place, which allowed partners to exchange experiences and to discuss their respective approaches used in their energy challenges.
The local network operators held regular network meetings to exchange on the implementation process of measures including success factors and barriers.
Capacity-building was delivered under multiple formats, such as expert input during project & network meetings, through an interactive Knowledge Base, through trainings on tools & methods, through P2P sessions & webinars, and through the assistance in the preparation of transition roadmap elements.
Throughout the project, we constantly evaluated and monitored the process and the outcomes of the five networks as well as of the network approach developed in PATH2LC. Therefore, on the one hand, a technical monitoring of the implemented measures & energy savings achieved, and on the other hand, a monitoring of the network approach itself was carried out. With this approach, recommendations to improve the network approach of PATH2LC as well as for a further diffusion of those networks were developed. The results obtained were consolidated and recommendations were derived: please refer to the Deliverables shared on our PATH2LC website: https://www.path2lc.eu/the-project/#deliverables
Our dissemination strategy has allowed us to engage with stakeholders and share our project's achievements through various channels, such as our PATH2LC website, the LinkedIn & Twitter accounts, a regular newsletter, webinars, events as well as project partners’ channels. These combined efforts reached an impressive audience of over 50,000 people, significantly expanding our project's visibility and impact.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

In the three years of the project, we saved around 109 gigawatt hours of energy, which is equivalent to the annual energy consumption of around 4,500 German households. The primary energy savings triggered by the project resulted in 36,2 GWh/year, with total additional investments in sustainable energy within the project duration of 20,9 Mio. €
A total of 115 new measures were introduced during the project period, equaling to an average of 4.6 measures per municipality. The most prominent areas include measures and initiatives related to efficiency, renewable energy and sustainability. Within the efficiency measures, there is a notable focus on building retrofitting, improving transport systems, promoting renewable energy sources and improving lighting infrastructure. However, the results also suggest that there is untapped potential for further savings, particularly in the heating and cooling sector. This area is promising for implementing energy-efficient technologies, optimizing heating & cooling systems and exploring renewable energy alternatives, since the heating sector accounts for the largest share of energy consumption in Europe.
The LMN approach has demonstrated promise in increasing the networking among municipalities, and provided a framework for exchange, collaboration, and knowledge sharing in the field of energy and climate. The LMN approach was perceived as useful and beneficial for the municipalities. Perceived benefits were the exchange and collaboration with other European municipalities and with the municipalities in the own network. However, some barriers were mentioned such as a lack of time and resources, in particular in small municipalities. These barriers could be addressed by providing more funding possibilities and to make them more accessible (e.g. by removing bureaucratic hurdles or simplifying the application processes).
The LMN approach proved as one successful way of pushing the energy transition by supporting municipalities to implement parts of their SE(C)APS. Instead of reinventing the wheel, participating municipalities profited by exchanging experiences since most are facing similar challenges. This approach can be adjusted rather easily and adopted by other (European) regions as well.
In conclusion, the project has supported the participating municipalities in the process towards a sustainable society and has contributed to increasing the expertise in climate action at the municipal level.

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