The built environment accounts for approximately 30-40% of the total energy consumption in the Netherlands and Germany (RVO, 2015). The INTERREG project Cleantech Energy Crossing therefore aims to facilitate the energy transition in this area by promoting cross-border collaboration. Through the realization of various innovations and new technological products, this project wants to make an important contribution in achieving the climate targets of the Netherlands (-20% CO2 emissions to 2020) and North Rhine-Westphalia (-25% CO2 emissions to 2020).
MULTIFILE
This report consists of two parts and describes the highlights of the investigations carried out in the Province of Groningen as part of the Right Project to understand the Regional Innovation Ecosystem in the region. The first part is focusses on the socio-economic and R&D profile (Part 1A) and a SWOT analysis on salient aspects related to Regional Innovation Ecosystems (Part 1B). The second part (Part 2) focuses on the SME innovation capacity and needs, and presents the highlights of 6 interviews with SMEs in the region. The RIGHT project, an Interreg North Sea Program, will contribute to territorial growth in the North Sea Region by connecting smart specialisation strategies to human capital and the skills of the workforce by defining existing and potential regional growth sectors and sub-sectors.
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SEEV4-City is an innovation project funded by the European Union Interreg North Sea Region Programme. Its main objective is to demonstrate smart electric mobility and integration of renewable energy solutions and share the learnings gained. The project reports on the results of six Operational Pilots (OPs) which have different scales and are located in five different cities in four different countries in the North Sea Region.Loughborough OP (United Kingdom) is the smallest pilot, being a household with a bi-directional EV charging unit for the Nissan Leaf, a stationary battery, and a PV system. In the Kortrijk OP (Belgium), a battery system and a bi-directional charging unit for the delivery van (as well as a smart charging station for ebikes) were added to the energy system. In Leicester (United Kingdom), five unidirectional charging units were to be accompanied by four bi-directional charging units. The Johan Cruyff Arena OP is a larger pilot in Amsterdam, with a 2.8 MWh (partly) second life stationary battery storage for Frequency Control Regulation services and back-up power, 14 fast chargers and one bi-directional charger. Integrated into the existing energy system is a 1 MW PV system that is already installed on the roof. In the Oslo OP, 102 chargers were installed, of which two are fast chargers. A stationary battery energy storage system (BESS) supports the charging infrastructure and is used for peak shaving. The FlexPower OP in Amsterdam is the largest OP with over 900 EV charging outlets across the city, providing smart charging capable of reducing the energy peak demand in the evening.Before the start of the project, three Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) were determined:A. Estimated CO2 reductionB. Estimated increase in energy autonomyC. Estimated Savings from Grid Investment Deferral
Circular BIOmass CAScade to 100% North Sea Region (NSR) economic activity and growth are mostly found in urban areas. Rural NSR regions experience population decline and negative economic growth. The BIOCAS project expects revitalizing and greening of rural areas go hand in hand. BIOCAS will develop rural areas of the NSR into smart specialized regions for integrated and local valorization of biomass. 13 Commercial running Bio-Cascade-Alliances (BCA’s) will be piloted, evaluated and actively shared in the involved regions. These proven concepts will accelerate adoption of high to low value bio-cascading technologies and businesses in rural regions. The project connects 18 regional initiatives around technologies, processes, businesses for the conversion of biomass streams. The initiatives collaborate in a thematic approach: Through engineering, value chain assessments, BCA’s building, partners tackle challenges that are shared by rural areas. I.e. unsustainable biomass use, a mineral surplus and soil degradation, deprivation of potentially valuable resources, and limited involvement of regional businesses and SMEs in existing bio-economy developments. The 18 partners are strongly embedded in regional settings, connected to many local partners. They will align stakeholders in BCA’s that would not have cooperated without BIOCAS interventions. Triple helix, science, business and governmental input will realize inclusive lasting bio cascade businesses, transforming costly waste to resources and viable business.Interreg IVB North Sea Region Programme: €378,520.00, fEC % 50.00%1/07/17 → 30/06/21
An Interreg North Sea Region (NSR) co-funded project which aims to enhance regional innovation support capacity to increase long-term innovation levels and support smart specialisation strategies. To achieve this, RIGHT concentrates its efforts on developing the skills of the workforce relevant for SMEs in the participating regions within the energy and blue sectors.
Project aimsNorthSEE aims to achieve greater coherence in Maritime Spatial Planning (processes; MSP) and in Maritime Spatial Plans (outcomes/solutions), capturing synergies and preventing incompatibilities in the North Sea Region (NSR). The project seeks to create better conditions for sustainable development of the area in the fields of shipping, energy and environmental protection. NorthSEE is possible thanks to the financial support from the Interreg North Sea Region programme of the European Union (European Regional Development Fund).Project tasks and resultsTo suggest a multi-level coordination framework capable of supporting ongoing coordination in MSP across the NSR in the long term. To develop an information and planning platform for MSP, enabling planners and stakeholders to share evidence for MSP and test different planning options in the form of scenarios based on real data. The MSP Challenge computer-supported simulation game will became this platform. To increase the capacity of stakeholders in key transnational sectors to actively contribute to MSP To align approaches for taking into account wider environmental issues in MSP To facilitate greater transnational coherence in MSP with respect to offshore energy infrastructure To achieve greater transnational coherence in using MSP to support environmental protection objectives. To facilitate greater transnational coherence in MSP with respect to shipping routes.Our roleThe Academy for Digital Entertainment (ADE) of Breda University of Applied Sciences is a full partner in this project. ADE is responsible for designing and developing the MSP Challenge simulation game concerning the NSR, as well as facilitating its application, all with the aim of developing insights befitting the project aims and thus Maritime Spatial Planning in the North Sea Region (see task 2). We therefore work closely with all NorthSEE partners to define the right requirements and ensure that the simulation game fulfills them. Multiple MSP Challenge sessions are planned to help develop insightful future scenarios and useful planning solutions for the NSR. More information about MSP Challenge is available on NorthSEE (https://northsearegion.eu/northsee) and on its own website (https://www.mspchallenge.info/).
