Climate neutrality & energy autonomy: The Municipality of Kozani in the REFORMERS program of Horizon Europe
Reducing dependence on fossil fuels and accelerating the goal of climate neutrality is the main objective of the REFORMERS (Regional Ecosystems FOR Multiple-Energy Resilient Systems) proposal, in which the Municipality of Kozani participates as a partner and was approved for funding by the European Program Horizon Europe.
A total of 28 partners participate in REFORMERS, including the National Center for Research and Technological Development (EKETA). The total budget of the project amounts to 20 million euros.
Europe’s plan for the energy market entitled “REPowerEU”, proposes a set of actions to reduce the EU’s dependence on fossil fuels and diversify its energy supply before 2030.
The valleys of Renewable Energy Sources are decentralized RES systems that can offer a sustainable and effective solution to these challenges. At the same time, through local production and consumption they contribute to reduced transmission and distribution losses due to the use of local networks for energy needs – greater operational flexibility and reduced dependence on expensive fuel imports towards a higher energy autonomy. They also provide, among other things, a more secure supply and lower, more stable overall energy costs for individual citizens.
The REFORMERS project aims to develop, implement and operate over the next 5 years, such an energy valley in the Boekelermeer, next to the city of Alkmaar in the Netherlands. This energy valley will serve as a living laboratory for testing and validating technologies, business models, and user acceptance in real-world conditions.
The ultimate goal is for the region to receive the necessary know-how in order to create favorable conditions for the development of a RES energy valley in Western Macedonia.
