Overview
Buildings consume 42% of EU energy, with heating and cooling accounting for a major portion. Alpine countries have set ambitious net-zero targets for heating and cooling to combat climate change in our particularly vulnerable macro-region. However, the adoption of optimal solutions, such as heat pumps and renewable energy systems, is lagging in the Alpine Space. ALPHA addresses this issue by enhancing implementation capacities. The project designs pathways for decarbonising the Alpine heating, cooling, and building sectors. It also paves the way for an enabling policy and financing framework for the Alpine macro-region.
Factsheet
- 2021 – 2027
- Carbon neutral and resource sensitive Alpine region
- SO 2.1 - Promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions
-
- AG9 Energy efficiency and renewable energy
- 09/2024
- 08/2027
- 2.064.456 EUR
- 1.548.342 EUR
Description
ALPHA (Advancing 5th-Generation District Heating and Cooling Networks in Alpine Space) brings togehter 9 partners from all 5 Interreg Alpine Space EU countries (SI, IT, DE, FR, AT).
The project aims to contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and to increase energy efficiency through the use of 5th generation district heating and cooling networks in the Alpine territories of Italy, Austria, Germany, France and Slovenia.
More specifically, ALPHA was created with the aim of simplifying and accelerating the adoption of 5th-Generation District Heating and Cooling (5GDHC) in the Alpine space. The partners will jointly implement a common decarbonisation plan in eight pilot territories located in the countries involved.
The activities will be carried out with the involvement of local and regional authorities, utility companies, professionals and experts, trade associations and companies and citizens who are called upon to play the role of prosumers.
Partners
- 45.4892079.1936874
- 44.40385118.9355393
- 46.494530211.3472734
- 45.78309054.8759893530497695
- 43.704157.275177637275622
- 48.1490727511.567444920339295
- 48.216381416.3773499
- 47.05876516.3243364
- 45.907988115.007742049598125
Outcomes
-
Joint planning and decision-making framework for an accelerated transalpine roll-out and adoption of up-to-date H&C/5GDHC networks in ALPHA territories and beyond
The framework (encapsulating WP1 know-how, tools & resources) will function as an instrument for improving decision-making for up-to-date H&C/5GDHC networks roll-out, through the specification of planning requirements, practical steps and transnational resource optimisation synergies. As such, it serves as a prerequisite and resource for the planning and implementation of the pilot actions (WP2, especially Activities 2.1 and 2.2), thus paving the way for up-to-date H&C network configuration. -
Blueprint with common roll-out pathways for up-to-date H&C/5GDHC networks, to spearhead the decarbonisation of H&C networks across Alpine Space
The pilots will result in a blueprint for up-to-date H&C/5GDHC networks proliferation in Alpine Space, i.e., a tested and replication-ready decarbonisation model for decision-makers and stakeholders. It comprises the a) clustered H&C improvement plans, b) corresponding infrastructure improvement routes including waste heat synergies, RES and heat pump adoption applicable across Alpine territories, and c) action plans for sector coupling and integrating energy with urban/spatial and RES planning. -
Replication toolbox for the uptake and/or upscaling of the ALPHA approach to decarbonise the H&C sector
The toolbox comprises WP3’s policy and financing resources as well as the transnational coordination helpdesk and online platform (3.1: policy strategy, 3.2: financing and business development guide, 3.3: transalpine decision-making helpdesk and online knowledge resources, 3.4: replication masterplan). It will guide and support stakeholders beyond ALPHA organisations and partnership territories to uptake project outputs and expand upon the project approach, in collaboration with ALPHA partners.
