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REGOreal - 100% Renewable Energy Region: Local Energy Common Good Economy in real laboratories for networked energy and mobility cells

In REGOreal, the exploration for a 100% renewable energy region in the area of Retz-Horn-Krems-Tulln (Lower Austria) and Mallnitz (Ktn) is taking place. There are four focus topics: 100 Renewable Energy Communities (REC), 1.000 building renovations, 10.000 energy exporters (in the sense of employees who carry the approach into their private environment) and 100 Mio. km of sustainable mobility with extensive use of IT for the development of local integrated energy systems (IES) to integrate a colorful mix of different actors and objects.

Short Description

Starting point / motivation

REGOreal comprises 79 municipalities with 230,000 inhabitants in four districts in Lower Austria and the municipality of Mallnitz in Carinthia. The regional energy production of 670 GWh has so far resulted in a self-sufficiency of 16% of the total requirement of 3.900 GWh. The high energy imports are largely based on fossil and nuclear energy and, in addition to direct ecological and social damage, cause above all high CO2 emissions and cash outflows from the region of around € 600 Million per year.

4 Lower Austrian districts, one Carinthian municipality
Figure 1: Baseline „energy supply so far“ (Source: Project REGOreal, 2021)

Contents and goals

The aim of this exploratory study is to create a basis for the implementation of a 100% renewable energy region. The focus is on the following sub-goals: the creation of 100 renewable energy communities (EEG), the implementation of 1,000 building renovations, 100 million sustainably traveled kilometers of mobility, and 10,000 energy exporters who, as ambassadors, carry the approaches of the renewable energy region into their private environment and thereby support the dissemination of these. Local, integrated energy systems (IES) are to be created, whereby the comprehensive use of IT is essential for the integration of a colorful mix of different actors and objects.

Methods

In order to implement REGOreal, a broad-based approach was chosen with "renovation and modernization of buildings". Individual buildings are considered and treated as the smallest cells of the networked energy systems (districts/villages/cities/region). The participation of nationally and internationally recognized partners from industrial and institutional R&D&I guarantee the use of the latest knowledge and tools for the design and implementation of these buildings in the SES Smart Energy Systems.

With the focus on renovation, a large group of regional specialists (development, production, consulting, planning, construction) is integrated. They are motivated, connected and empowered as partners of the customer groups. They contribute their skills and their strong presence in the region.

By involving fire brigades and women, two specific groups of people or organizations are activated. This should have a stronger and accelerating effect when pursuing the goals of the first five years and in the dissemination.

The exploration of REGOreal focuses on four levels:

  1. Implementation: Level 1 represents the regions (Krems/Horn/Retzer Land/Tulln/Mallnitz) where all activities will be implemented.
  2. Organization: Level 2 takes care of the structural, organizational set-up of all actors and activities.
  3. Financing: Level 3 includes all models and sources for capital raising, evaluation and realization.
  4. Socialization: Level 4 takes care of the socialization and acceptance of topics/motives/competencies.
REGOreal 4 levels
Figure 2: Methodical approach (Source: Project REGOreal, 2021)

The content work packages are divided into three groups:

  1. Base: energy flows/energy systems.
  2. Sub-areas (in analysis): 100 renewable energy communities (REC)/1.000 building retrofits/10.000 energy exporters (ambassadors)/100 million kilometres travelled sustainably
  3. Structuring of the real laboratory and dissemination

Expected results

Creation of a basis for the implementation of a 100% renewable energy region. We expect the following results as measurable factors from our concept. As some representatives, we speak in various areas, e.g. of:

Data

  • Energy systems
  • Energy flows
  • Emissions

Energy production

  • PV
  • Wind
  • Biomass

Financing

  • Initial Coin Offering (ICO)
  • Crowd
  • Investors/Sponsoring

The 100% Renewable Energy Region is composed of three focal points:

  1. Renovation/modernization of 1.000 buildings
    •  Building envelope
    • Heating system
    • Storage
  2. Renewable Energy Communities (REC) with 10.000 energy exporters
    • Women
    • Fire brigades
    • Economic Forum Waldviertel
  3. E-Mobility with 100 million km
    • E-car fleets
    • E-car sharing
    • E-charging stations
Figure 3: Expected results and overview (Source: Project REGOreal, 2021)

Project Partners

Project management

eKUT GmbH

Project or cooperation partners

  • Scheiber.solutions GmbH
  • UBOS GmbH
  • BEST - Bioenergy and Sustainable Technologies GmbH
  • FH Technikum Wien
  • Donau Universität Krems
  • AIT - Austrian Institute of Technology
  • Wallenberg & Linhard – Regionalberatung KG

Contact Address

eKUT GmbH
Hans-Kudlich-Straße 02
A-3830 Waidhofen/Thaya
Tel.: +43 (2842) 218 00
E-mail: office@ekut.at