Establishment of a Local Competence Centre for Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency in the Podlaskie Region

As in other countries, much of the expansion of renewable energies will take place in rural regions in Poland. This was the context for the idea of setting up a competence centre for this structurally weak rural region. Through a coordinating centrer, the aim is to steer development so as to ensure that the creation of added value remains in the region and the municipalities, private individuals and the local economy benefit from it.

The German project partner, Energievision Frankenwald e. V., advised the Polish municipalities on the legal and organisational aspects of establishing the competence centre and on long-term the organizational and financial sustainability as an independent NGO. Seminars run by Energievision Frankenwald e. V. provided training for Polish project staff to qualify them for future consulting activities.  This was based on the positive experience gained by existing energy agencies in Bavaria. The project partners gained a wide range of supporters from business, politics and environmental associations for the centre. With the new independent advisory centre, communities, businesses and citizens were provided with economic and other benefits through the expansion of renewable energies and increased energy efficiency. In addition, the centre and municipalities were supported in raising further sources of funding for relevant measures in this field. The pilot project is intended to serve as a model for the possible establishment of further energy agencies in Podlasie and throughout Poland.

The new Regional Center for Renewable Energy (CEO) with the two locations Białystok und Hajnówka was established in 2021 in the legal form of a foundation. More than 1700 private persons as well as representatives of municipalities and companies have benefited from consulting services and handouts for the installation of PV modules, heat pumps and energy modernization of buildings.