EXPRESS: European Regions Promoting Renewable Energy Self-Sufficiency

In recent years, various crises have driven European regions to intensify efforts toward increasing the share of renewable energy and achieving energy self-sufficiency. The EU’s dependence on energy imports, particularly oil and gas, has raised concerns about supply security and rising energy costs.

Regions may need to rely on fossil fuels to meet the energy demands of different sectors. However, the rising cost of fossil fuels makes renewable energy production and use more economically viable. This tension is central to the EXPRESS project.

While all sectors could be affected by these developments, EXPRESS does not focus on just one. The project involves diverse regions, from the vast, wooded area of North Karelia to the dense metropolitan region of Paris, allowing for the exploration of different regional strategies. In Paris, the focus is on solar energy, the development of an urban heating network, and the utilization of unused heat.

Through the EXPRESS project, participating regions aim to increase their energy self-sufficiency and the share of renewable energy. Locally produced renewable energy contributes to sustainable development by generating jobs and local revenue within the region. The project aligns with the REPowerEU targets to produce clean energy, conserve energy, and diversify energy supplies across Europe.

The objectives of the EXPRESS project are to:

• Increase the share of renewable energy in participating regions.
• Enhance the energy self-sufficiency of participating regions.
• Improve regional strategies to better adapt to the evolving energy sector, enabling a rapid transition to locally produced renewable energy for heating, electricity, and transportation.
• Establish a one-stop shop to support Parisians in renewable energy production.

The project will achieve these objectives through inter-regional learning and the exchange of good practices that can be integrated into regional policy instruments, accelerating the green transition to locally produced renewable energy.

In April 2024, the Paris Climate Agency welcomed all partners involved in the European EXPRESS project.

• The Regional Council of North Karelia (Finland)
• South East Energy Agency (Ireland)
• Paris Climate Agency (France)
• The Marche Region (Italy)
• Rzeszow Regional Development Agency (Poland)
• Hajdú-Bihar County Government (Hungary)
• Alba Iulia Municipality (Romania)
• Public Institution for the Development of the Međimurje County REDEA (Croatia)