The kick-off meeting of the COMPOSE PLUS was held online on 12th April 2021. The main purposes of the meeting were to ensure effective and efficient start-up and implementation of the project, with an ultimate scope to promote energy efficiency and renewable energy measures, exploiting the local potential and new business models as means of securing energy supply, and sustainable development.
At the start, all partners briefly introduced themselves and shared their motivation and expectations participating in the COMPOSE PLUS project. Then, Nicolas Garnier, project officer of the COMPOSE PLUS, kicked off the Steering Committee Meeting works. He presented the key objectives and the new elements in the MED Programme and referred to the ambitious and challenging goals of COMPOSE PLUS.
Stanka Klemencic Kosi (COMPOSE PLUS project coordinator), Mojca Hribernik (KGZMB, Slovenia), and Zdravko Kozinc (Iskriva, Slovenia) presented the key objectives and overall work plan of the project and also focused on the coordinating and project management activities (Activity 3.1), the project communication and dissemination plan and the development of synergies amongst the project, key networks, and the MED Renewable Energy Community.
Irene Mikelis and George Asonitis (INSULEUR, Greece) discussed with the rest partners the proposed methodology in order to identify the specific needs, interests, and priorities of receivers and stakeholders in the receiving territories, as well as their motivating factors to join COMPOSE PLUS transferring and capacity building activities (Activity 3.3).
Stavroula Tournaki and Marina Giamalaki (TUC, Greece) referred to the COMPOSE model development process, integrating the experience of 42 sustainable energy projects tested in the real ground, in 11 MED countries. The COMPOSE toolbox features were analytically presented to the receiving partners, to enable them to use and promote it efficiently. Stavroula explained that the results of the Activity 3.3 will provide significant input in order to implement new functionalities and content upgrades in the toolbox (Activity 3.4), as well as define tailored and efficient capacity building plans for the receiving territories (Activity A3.6). The training and capacity-building activities (including tailored webinars, tutorials, workshops, training materials) will assist stakeholders in their planning sustainable energy projects and will include the best practices, knowledge of specific tools, and will enhance local skills to full utilization of COMPOSE tool.
During the KOM, TUC initiated interactive polls, where partners shared their views on relevant topics such as the COMPOSE toolbox applicability and transferability, most relevant topics for potential stakeholders, considering the Green Deal priority goals, the key challenges of receiving territories towards energy transition.
Jurica Perko (REAN, Croatia), discussed the COMPOSE transferability plan and the foreseen project activities to mobilise interested stakeholders and to create local action groups in the receiving territories, based on the COMPOSE model (Activity 3.5).
Furthermore, Sergio Andreis (Kyoto Club, Italy) presented the activities aiming to further mainstream and uptake the COMPOSE approach. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is expected to be signed by at least 25 regions and sub-regions illustrating the commitment of signatories to adopt and use the COMPOSE tool and methodological approach in their daily operations, and in their strategies and planning efforts to increase the share of renewable energy from local sources in the MED area energy mix of islands and rural areas.
