The REC4EU partners gathered in Lublin for the VI project meeting. The first stop was an interesting study visit to Lublin Central Station, which integrates, in a single hub trains, regional and long-distance buses, urban public transport, and suburban/minibus lines.
It is one of the most environmentally friendly public facilities in Poland, thanks to a number of innovative solutions:
- use of geothermal heat pumps supported by rooftop photovoltaic panels (solar energy);
- a glass façade with a “building within a building” design to minimize energy loss;
- rainwater recovery / reuse systems for irrigation and sanitary use;
- anti-smog paving materials in surrounding areas, green walls, and extensive plantings (trees, shrubs, climbers) to improve air quality and aesthetics, with green rooftop terrace open to users;
Not only a functional transport hub but also an urban and architectural landmark which has earned awards and recognition, such as the Green Building Awards (Poland), along with being shortlisted in international architecture and infrastructure competitions. Following the visit, the partners moved to the Lubelskie Voivodeship offices, which hosted the meeting. The session was dedicated to Policy Improvement, focusing on the discussion and exchange of experiences regarding the enhancement of local policies. The activity was structured around a set of questions:
- What is the change? (achieved or proposed)?
- What added value is expected for your territory?
- Which policy has been or will be improved?
- From whom did you learn within REC4EU?
- What is your timeline for the improvement?
- Were there any obstacles during the improvement process? If so, which ones and when?
- How will you monitor the effects of the improvement? Will you use existing indicators or design new ones?
- Who are the main stakeholders that collaborated with you within REC4EU?
- How did you engage them?
- Which stakeholders proved to be the most useful, and why?
The discussion allowed partners to share progress and insights on how their respective policies are evolving, with special attention to those facing challenges and therefore require to develop an alternative Action Plan, to be drafted in case the initially foreseen policy improvement is not achieved by the end of the 6th semester.
The meeting continued with updates on communication activities, coordinated by ARRR as Communication Manager, and then focused on the Pilot Actions of the project.
The second day began with a study visit to Pustelnia, in Opole Lubelskie, about half an hour from Lublin. The site hosts a fish farm covering 400 hectares, dedicated to breeding and selling fish (trout and carp), as well as operating an on-site restaurant. In order to increase management efficiency and competitiveness, the farm has invested in renewable energy by installing photovoltaic systems that produce electricity for self-consumption, mainly for electricity supply for internal purpose: In particular the farm features a 30 kWp power system on the fish breeding buildings and a 35 kWp power system on the sales building. In the afternoon, the meeting continued with the analysis of project indicators. The discussion focused on the methodology for monitoring the improvements achieved through Policy Improvement. Each partner detailed which and how many types of indicators they plan to use and committed to identifying new ones before the next meeting, scheduled for May in Serbia. Subsequently, partners attended an interesting exchange between local stakeholders, respectively representing a Renewable Energy Community (REC) Cluster and the regional administration (regulatory office). The discussion highlighted a significant critical issues: the need to improve the exchange of expertise between the political and technical/administrative spheres. In Poland, indeed, the EU regulation on Renewable Energy Communities has not yet been assimilated, which greatly complicates their creation and development. Thanks to the REC4EU project, a local strategy is currently being developed to include the concept of RECs in the national political agenda, enabling their growth throughout the country.
A special thank to the host partner, Lubelskie Voivodeship, for the perfect organization of these events in Lublin. Watch the reel og the most relevant moments of theese 2 days:
