International Projects

DaWetRest – Danube Wetlands and flood plains Restoration through systemic, community engaged and sustainable innovative actions

DAnube WETlands REStoration (DaWetRest) Lighthouse is designed to develop and demonstrate (pilot) concrete solutions applied on the Danube basin to address the challenges faced by its inland and coastal wetlands ecosystems’, namely on (i) biodiversity, (ii) water quality and availability, (iii) climate resilience and/or neutrality and (iv) socio-economic benefits for the local communities. These transformative and innovative solutions will be validated by local communities and main Regional and European-wide stakeholders.

DaWetRest has the role to prepare and plan the replication, deployment and scaling up of the validated innovative solutions for the next mission’s phase. For this important scope, DaWetRest project proposes several strong ideas, such as (i) building and selecting interventions based on extensive and prior know-how (sibling sites and non-EU experiences), (ii) local, regional and basin scale integrated interdependent analysis of results from the planned interventions, (iii) merge DaWetRest own data, models and digital tools with existing and future ones, towards a centralized knowledge centre in the future and (iv) involve the managing authorities and a number of local actors in the entire process, from the very beginning. Thus, DaWetRest results will accelerate and generalize the deployment of innovative solutions in the second phase of the Mission. 

The demonstration of innovative and result-oriented solutions is organized in 3 DEMOs – DEMO Middle Danube (MD), DEMO Lower Danube (LD) and DEMO Danube Delta (DD). Each DEMO offers main intervention sites, pilots, sibling locations, replications, platforms/ services, local stakeholders engagement and methodologies to strengthen the innovation, knowledge and cooperation in and beyond DaWetRest in Danube basin and across Europe. 

Via a widely representative consortium as well as active cooperation (e.g. Community of Practices), DaWetRest will provide tools for a significant transformation in the Danube.

STRIA is associated partner of the project.

Main data of the project:

Project title: Danube Wetlands and flood plains Restoration through systemic, community engaged and sustainable innovative actions

Project code: 101113015

Partners:

  • Climate, atmosphere and water research institute at Bulgarian Academy of Sciences – BG 
  • SVEUCILISTE U ZAGREBU, FAKULTET STROJARSTVA I BRODOGRADNJE – HR H
  • RVATSKE VODE PRAVNA OSOBA ZA UPRAVLJANJE VODAMA – HR 
  • JAVNO PREDUZACE VOJVODINASUME, PRETROVARADIN 
  • OPCINA DRAZ HR 
  • CENTAR KOMPETENCIJA DOO ZA ISTRAZIVANJE I RAZVOJ HR 
  • Sportsko ribolovna udruga Odra Velika Gorica HR 
  • Poljoprivredna strucna sluzba Sombor RS 
  • Jadranski Inovacijski Centar HR
  • Duna-Dráva Nemzeti Park Igazgatóság (Duna-Dráva National Park Directorate) – 
  • DDRIÜ Dél-Dunántúli Regionális Innovációs Ügynökség Nonprofit Kft. – HU 
  • Skola za osnovno obrazovanje odraslih – RS
  • UNIVERZITET U NOVOM SADU FAKULTET TEHNICKIH NAUKA – RS
  • SDRUZENIE ASOCIACIJA NA DUNAVSKITE OBSTINI-DUNAV – BG
  • Regionalna Inspekciia po okolnata sreda i vodite Ruse – BG 
  • Municipality of Silistra – BG
  • Municipality of Tutrakan – BG
  • Slivo pole municipality – BG
  • UNIVERSITY OF RUSE ANGEL KANCHEV – BG 
  • Scortel Ltd – BG
  • DONAU TRANSIT Ltd – BG
  • DPP Rusenski Lom – BG 
  • Regional academic center of BAS Burgas – BG 
  • INSTITUTUL NATIONAL DE CERCETARE-DEZVOLTARE DELTA DUNARII – RO
  • MINISTERUL MEDIULUI, APELOR SI PADURILOR – RO 
  • UNIVERSITATEA POLITEHNICA DIN BUCURESTI – RO 
  • GEOSTUD – RO
  • DANUBE DELTA BIOSPHERE RESERVE AUTHORITY – RO
  • SC COMPLEX DELTA SRL – RO 
  • NATIONAL ADMINISTRATION APELE ROMANE – RO
  • INSTITUTIA PREFECTULUI JUDETUL TULCEA – RO
  • Primaria Murighiol – RO
  • FEDERATIA ORGANIZATIILOR PRODUCATORILOR – DE
  • PESTE DIN DELTA DUNARII – RO
  • STUF DELTA PRODUCTION – RO 
  • Asociatia “Ivan Patzaichin – Mila 23” – RO 
  • PANNON EGYETEM – UNIVERSITY OF PANNONIA – HU 
  • UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA GHEORGHE ASACHI DIN IASI – RO 
  • UNIVERSITATEA TEHNICA A MOLDOVEI – MD 
  • NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY OF UKRAINE IGOR SIKORSKY KYIV POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTE – UA 
  • BUREAU DE RECHERCHES GEOLOGIQUES ET MINIERES – FR
  • SLOVENSKA POLNOHOSPODARSKA UNIVERZITA V NITRE – Sk
  • Institutul de Ecologie si Geografie – MD 
  • GGT-Gabinete de Planeamento e Gestão do Território, Lda – PT
  • INSTITUTE OF COMMUNICATION AND COMPUTER SYSTEMS – EL
  • INOVA+ – INNOVATION SERVICES, SA – PT 
  • STEINBEIS INNOVATION GGMBH – DE

Project budget in EUR: 9,398,213.75  €

Funding program: HORIZON Action Grant Budget-Based

Project duration: 02.01.2023 – 31.12.2026.

CIREVALC – Introducing and upscaling circular economy models  in regional value chains in the food, catering and packaging sectors

CIREVALC aims at introducing and upscaling circular economy models in regional value chains in the food, catering and packaging sectors through community building, strengthening circular economy skills of enterprises, non-business entities and local communities and through improving policy learning. Our project helps to solve the challenges of low awareness, low engagement, non-receptive communities towards the application of circular economy models, lack of skills and knowledge and lack of or inefficient use of tools, and also low uptake of solutions, lack of bespoke private and public measures.

In our project regional development agencies, sectorial agencies, business support organisations work together spanning across nine member states. We start with community building through awareness raising and mobilising stakeholders and through looking into the obstacles and drivers of using circular solutions in the food, catering and packaging sectors. We go on designing our CIREVALC Circular Community Accelerator, a complex tool that facilitates the green transition of local pioneers, SMEs, local communities. We are going to test and evaluate our solution in a pilot action in the regions through involving local pioneers. Finally, we connect communities and we invite third parties to join our initiative, the CIREVALC Accelerator Network.

Building on our white paper and formulating and starting implementing regional action plans and the CIREVALC CE level action plan we improve related policy instruments in our regions. As a result, we expect improved capacities and increased level of knowledge in our target groups. Furthermore, we expect to see substantial improvement in terms of exploiting potentials of circular economy practices in the food, catering and packaging sectors in our regions.

Main data of the project:

Project title: Introducing and upscaling circular economy models  in regional value chains in the food, catering and packaging sectors

Project code: CE0100414

Partners:

  • South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency – Lead Partner- Hungary
  • IFKA Public Benefit Nonprofit Ltd. – Hungary
  • BSC, Business support organisation L.t.d., Kranj – Slovenia
  • Rzeszow Regional Development Agency – Poland
  • Padova Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Crafts and Agriculture – Italy
  • JAIP – South Bohemian Agency for Support to Innovation – Czech Republic
  • AZRRI-Agency for Rural Development of Istria Ltd. – Croatia
  • RKW Saxony GmbH Service and Consulting – Germany
  • Business Upper Austria – (Biz up) – Austria
  • B I C Bratislava, Ltd. – Szlovákia

Project budget in EUR: 2,314,092.37 €

Funding program: Interreg CENTRAL EUROPE

Project duration: 01.04.2023 – 31.03.2026.

PROMOTER – PROMoting TERritorial strategies for sustainable mobility through green energy prosumer hubs

PROMOTER enables EU to achieve its climate neutrality and re-power, by pursuing innovative decarbonised mobility, thus contributing to a greener territorial quality. To contribute this change, it promotes green energy hub-production at local level supporting sustainable transport.

As prices for clean energy and storage technologies continue to fluctuate and regions explore ways to reduce emissions and dependency from fossil fuel and currently from foreign sources, integrating higher shares of renewable energies is becoming more urgent and complex.

While the watchword of the pandemic was “distancing”, “proximity” thus imposes itself in the aftermath; energy management linked with mobility management, increasing role of energy sustainable local communities (engaged in both production & consumption), hub digital infrastructure to monitor and guide energy performance production and consumption trends, can all play their role.

In order to get away from a logic of emergency, foster balanced diversification and reduce emissions and diseconomies, the project contributes to them by connecting together a “most appropriate use of public and/or private assets for hubs “, “energy generation from sustainable sources” (solar, hydrogen, wind, biomass, geothermal and others) and its related distribution patterns, with “urban and peri-urban mobility” thus effectively addressing the “proximity” social inclusion.

The approach to improve the energy governance to feed green mobility issue, within the policies addressed by the partners, is to:

A. identify their “drivers and barriers” to the issue being pursued

B. document and share Good Practices and policy experiences regarding: technology, financial, normative & regulatory aspects, organisational management, community empowerment

C. promote policy solutions capable of improving the delivery of regional development policies and making them more effective and sustainable.

Main data of the project:

Project title: PROMoting TERritorial strategies for sustainable mobility through green energy prosumer hubs
Project code: 01C0143

Partners:

  • Province of Livorno – Italy
  • Rezekne City Municipality – Latvia
  • Central Finland Regional Council – Finland
  • AG MOBI-O – Belgium
  • DEX Innovation Centre – Czech Republic
  • Brasov County Council – Romania
  • Federation of Municipalities of the Region of Murcia – Spain
  • Sintra Municipality – Portugal
  • South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency – Hungary

Project budget in EUR: 2 202 018 €

Funding program: Interreg EUROPE

Project duration: 01.03.2023 – 30.02.2027.

CIRCULAR SME SCAN

The COVID-19 crisis has accelerated the need to modernise and digitally transform training systems in Europe. The CIRCULAR SME SCAN (CSS) links this to the circular economy, a strategic approach to a greener economy to support European recovery.

Circular, sustainable, environmentally and climate-friendly operations of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) give them a competitive advantage over their competitors. However, more than 25 million SMEs in Europe face challenges in reaching their potential because they do not have as much knowledge or financial and physical resources that are needed to make the changes as large companies.

The main objective of the CSS is to create a self-scan and learning platform that develops the skills and competences of SMEs in the circular economy by supporting innovative practices for the digital age.

Main data of the project:

Project title: CIRCULAR SME SCAN

Project code: KA226 – VET – 093967

Partners:

  • South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency – Hungary (LP)
  • EOLAS S.L. – Spain
  • STICHTING BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT FRIESLAND– Netherlands
  • AVACA TECHNOLOGIES CONSULTING, INFORMATICS AE – Greece

Project budget in EUR: 259.020,00 €
Funding program: Erasmus+ KA2
Project duration: 01.04.2021 – 30.06.2023.

(More information: https://circularsmescan.eu/en/home# )

eBussed – Building capacities for European-wide e-bus deployment

Transitioning from a region with public transportation based on diesel buses to a region with e-bus fleets requires ample expertise in different fields. A wide range of themes must be covered in order to initiate and support e-bus development. The project concentrates on the exchange of experience between partner regions at different stages of e-bus operation development, thereby serving regions struggling with this highly technical and fast developing field.

The project supports the transition towards low carbon mobility and more efficient public transport. It promotes the uptake of e-buses in new regions and supports the expansion of existing e-fleets. It facilitates the integration of electricity production based on renewables and low carbon electrified public transport. Through new ideas and better policies, the project promotes both the demand and supply side of electricity from clean renewable sources and the subsequent transitioning towards a low carbon economy.

eBussed will engage regions from all directions with and without practical experience on e-buses. The project will increase capacities and knowledge among its partner regions via a multi-level exchange of experiences and cross-regional pollination of ideas to better support the transition towards fully electrified bus fleets and low carbon mobility.

Main project results will be:

  • increased measurability for e-bus deployment among partner regions via the introduction of the e-bus readiness indicators,
  • increased capacities of partners and regional stakeholders to make informed decisions on bus fleet electrification as a result of thematic cross-fertilization workshops and other project outputs,
  • increased knowledge of policy makers and public officials to recognise the barriers and drivers inhibiting or promoting e-bus deployment,
  • increased capacities and knowledge among policy makers and public officials to link e-bus deployment with renewable electricity production,
  • increased knowledge of policy makers and public officials on all facets of e-bus procurement and fleet technological and user-related management,
  • improved policy instruments (4 ERDF policies and 2 local plans): introduction or integration of the e-bus theme into the policy instruments,
  • improved governance or supporting the theme by proposing new project ideas or funding,
  • implemented 6 local action plans supporting e-bus development in the partner regions.

Main data of the project:

Project title: Building capacities for European-wide e-bus deployment
Project code: PGI05948

Partners:

  • Turku University of Applied Science – Finland
  • Free and Hanseatic City of Hamburg – Germany
  • Province of Utrecht – Netherlands
  • HU University of Applied Science Utrecht – Netherlands
  • Ministry for Gozo – Malta
  • Transport Malta – Malta
  • South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency – Hungary
  • Province of Livorno – Italy

Project budget in EUR: 1,474,548.00 €
ERDF funding in EUR: 1,253,365.80 €
Funding program: Interreg EUROPE
Project duration: 01.08.2019 – 31.07.2023.

(More information: https://www.interregeurope.eu/ebussed/)
The project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and Hungary.

REGIONS 4FOOD – REGIONal Strategies 4 FOOD 4.0 Revolution 

Data has become a key asset for the food industry which is leading to innovations in technology and the development of new tools and skills.

However, the large volume and diverse nature of food value chains data and actors call for specific integration and management procedures to make the most of new economic opportunities based on information, data and cognitive technologies and promote innovation-driven growth.

With the aim to address this issue, seven regions have decided to join efforts to face new challenges in relation ICTs and data with the overall objective of maximising the innovation potential of all actors of the agri-food value chain.

For this purpose, project partners have developed an exchange of experience approach and work plan which allow them to create synergies and opportunities by identifying good practice implemented in other regions. Partners will work in close cooperation with stakeholders to interconnect regional innovation ecosystems, and bring together the “quadruple helix” of actors involved at different stages in the food value chain. Best practices for each region will be integrated in their action plans in order to improve the targeted policy instruments governance or to implement projects that will contribute to achieving the above-mentioned goal.

 Main project outputs and results will be:

 – Seven action plans to improve policy instruments selected by project partners according to their relevance in terms of better exploiting ICT’s potential and deliver innovation to food industry and hence, smart progress and growth.

– Support capacity-building at all levels, that is, staff, organisational and regional but also beyond the partnership considering most project partners are members of the S3P Agri-food on Traceabiliy and Big Data.

– Reinforcing cooperation between research and business sectors and therefore, to improve the economic exploitation of R&D results.

– Delivering strategic guidelines for new programming period.

Main data of the project:

Project title: REGIONal Strategies 4 FOOD 4.0 Revolution
Project code: PGI05289

Partners:

  • Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Rural Development. Government of Andalusia – Spain
  • Pays de la Loire Regional Council – France
  • Seinäjoki University of Applied Sciences – Finland
  • ASTER Stock Joint Consortium – Italy
  • South Transdanubian Regional Innovation Agency – Hungary
  • Province Limburg – Netherlands
  • Pazardzhik Regional Administration – Bulgaria
  • University of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Kaposvár Campus – Hungary

Project budget in EUR: 1,576.910,00 €
ERDF funding in EUR: 1,277,456.50 €
Funding program: Interreg EUROPE
Project duration: 01.06.2018- 31.05.2023

(More information: ( https://www.interregeurope.eu/regions4food )
The project is co-financed by the European Regional Development Fund and Hungary.

National Projects

 

2020-3.1.4-ZFR-EKM – Pilot project of promoting the establishment of energy communities

Establishment and operation of an energy community in District VII. of Budapest

The overall goal of the project is to establish and operate an energy community in District VII. of Budapest, which integrates a wide range of stakeholders and relevant actors (energy consumers, producers, service providers, actors with different energy and legal characteristics and interests) to a common system, and at the same time, it presents and organizes as much of the traditional and innovative technical and financial solutions as possible. By the end of the project the aim is to elaborate the regulatory documents, technical-energy, legal and financial mechanisms of the energy community, which have been tested and proved to be adequate. The project is based on digital solutions, and applies several smart and innovative solutions as well. With the integration of elements of the technical content, as well as the technical, legal and financial expertise of the energy community members significantly benefits can be realised in the fields of R&D, technical-energy, hardware development, and institutional-legal development. The flexibility, capacity, performance etc. of the energy community, can regulate the assets of the community (taking into account the current production-consumption characteristics and energy prices), while aiming at technical and financial optimum and providing services for all internal and external stakeholders in an adequate quality. Th energy community is the overall result, „product” of the project, that can be identified as a crowdfunding investment vehicle. The energy community will be able to finance its operation from its revenues, while bringing benefits to all internal and external stakeholders.