POWER to the South East
12 March 2009The South East has been chosen as one of just seven EU regions to benefit from the POWER Interregional Programme, and from March 12th SEEDA will be calling on all public bodies in the region to take part. POWER will be offering funding to help projects that can drive a Low Carbon Economy in the region, building a sustainable, successful economy for the future.
POWER will provide funding for up to 12 international projects that promote the following themes:
Energy Efficiency
Exploring ways of reducing the overall energy consumption of the partner regions through policy, regulation, promotion and incentives
Renewable energy
Exploring ways of increasing the share of energy generated by renewables, including solar thermal; solar photovoltaic energy; high temperature thermal systems; wind energy; hydropower; biomass production for electricity, heating and cooling; sustainable biofuels; district heating and Combined Heat and Power (CHP) schemes.
Eco-Innovation and Environmental Technologies
Promoting innovative low-carbon technologies, comparative intelligence on strategies for take-up and low-carbon development design strategies.
Sustainable transport
Removing the link between Gross Value Added (GVA) growth and car use in the partner regions by improving the provision of sustainable modes of transport and access to it and at the same time increasing smart ways of moving around supported by ICT.
Behaviour change
Promote behavioural change to underpin efforts to improve energy efficiency and the use of sustainable transport.
The Programme will receive 75% of its funding from the INTERREG IVC – an EU programme aimed at improving the effectiveness of regional development policies and to increase the competitiveness of the continent as a whole – with the remaining 25% to be provided by the participating agencies themselves. SEEDA will take on an operational management role supported by the Environment Agency, liaising with selected representatives of each region to ensure the money goes to projects that can make a genuine contribution to the region’s low carbon economy.
Kathy Vuillaume, SEEDA European Programme Manager, said: "Programmes such as POWER are crucial if the South East is to meet its ambitious low carbon goals. This is a real opportunity to get green projects off the ground, partnerships that can influence stakeholders across the region and Europe to take similar action and make change happen. I strongly encourage any relevant stakeholders in the field considering such a project with international potential to apply as soon as possible."
The programme will receive its official launch in Noord-Brabant, the Netherlands, on 12th March.
For more information on the POWER programme, please contact:
POWER Secretariat
Tel: 01483 484 200
Email: power@seeda.co.uk
For media enquiries, please contact:
James Fulker, Press Officer
Tel: 01483 470 155
Email: pressoffice@seeda.co.uk
For more information please contact our press office
Tel: 01483 470155
