Info
Virtual Policy Dialogue
Enhancing Energy Communities in Rural Regions –
Knowledge Exchange Between Schleswig-Holstein (Germany) and Latvia
Date: Wednesday, 26 June 2024: 10:00-14:00 CEST, Online
Purpose of the project Rural Energy CommunitiesLV and Policy Dialogues
The Virtual Policy Dialogue is part of the project Rural Energy CommunitiesLV - Catalysing and building capacities for renewable energy communities in rural Latvia. This project is funded by the German Federal Foundation for the Environment (Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt, DBU) under its thematic project cluster Citizen Energy. Project partners are the Heinrich Böll Foundation in Schleswig-Holstein and the Latvian Rural Forum (LRF). The project runs from January 2024 until September 2025. Its overall objective is to enhance the development of Renewable Energy Communities (RECs), especially in rural areas of Latvia. The main activities encompass two virtual policy dialogues between actors from Germany, particularly the federal state of Schleswig-Holstein, and Latvia , a study visit of Latvian policy makers and experts to Schleswig-Holstein, the elaboration of relevant good practice cases, and awareness raising, networking and capacity development activities in the four rural Planning Regions of Latvia. Moreover, the proposed project aims to catalyze and facilitate the development of one rural pilot renewable energy community in Sece (municipality of Aizkraukle).
The policy dialogue is addressing a broad range of actors including policy makers, public authorities, associations, energy agencies, competence centres, community energy initiatives, Local Action Groups, civil society, NGOs, research organisations and other interested stakeholders.
Agenda
Moderation: Michael Krug & Doris Lorenz, Heinrich Böll Foundation Schleswig-Holstein
10:00 | Opening Doris Lorenz, Managing Director, Heinrich Böll Foundation Schleswig-Holstein |
10:05 | Welcome addresses Joschka Knuth, State Secretary, Ministry for Energy Transition, Climate, Environment and Nature Schleswig-Holstein Alda Vanaga, Ambassador of the Republic of Latvia to the Federal Republic of Germany |
10:15 | Energy situation and energy policy in Schleswig-Holstein Joschka Knuth, State Secretary, Ministry for Energy Transition, Climate, Environment and Nature Schleswig-Holstein |
10:30 | Introduction of the DBU project Rural Energy CommunitiesLV Michael Krug, Project Coordinator, Heinrich Böll Foundation Schleswig-Holstein Ilvija Ašmane, Project Manager, Latvian Rural Forum |
10:45 | Energy situation and energy policy in Latvia Gunārs Valdmanis, Head of Department, Latvian Ministry of Climate and Energy |
11:00 | Q&A Session |
11:15 | Digitalisation and smart meter rollout in Latvia Jurġis Vinniņš, Senior Manager of Corporate Customer Relations, Sadales Tīkli |
11:30 | Q&A session |
11:45 | Break |
12:00 | Community energy in Germany: implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive and regulatory framework Valérie Lange, Energy Policy Officer, German Citizen Energy Alliance |
12:20 | Community energy in Latvia: implementation of the Renewable Energy Directive and regulatory framework Gunārs Valdmanis, Head of Department, Latvian Ministry of Climate and Energy |
12:40 | Q&A session |
13:00 | Citizen Energy Fund Schleswig-Holstein: design, experiences, lessons learned Angelika Behlig, Deputy Head of Division, Ministry for Energy Transition, Climate, Environment and Nature Schleswig-Holstein |
13:15 | Q&A session |
13:25 | Interactive session: what can we learn from each other? |
13:55 | Next steps and outlook Michael Krug, Project Coordinator, Heinrich Böll Foundation Schleswig-Holstein |