FREE Network

FREE SUPPORTERS

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  CEJA is the voice of Europe’s young generation of farmers to the European institutions. CEJA’s objective is to promote a younger and innovative agricultural sector across the EU 27 and to create good working and living conditions for young people setting up in farming and those who are already “Young Farmers”. CEJA represents 26 organisations from across EU Member States including one observer member. In total, CEJA represents around one million young farmers in Europe and actively cooperates with other young farmers’ organisations in the European Union.
  » http://www.ceja.eu/
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  COGEN Europe is the European Trade Association for the Promotion of Cogeneration. Its principal goal is to work towards the wider use of cogeneration in Europe for a sustainable energy future. COGEN Europe was created in 1993 to reflect the clear need for greater co-operative efforts at a European level to realize the full potential for cogeneration. COGEN Europe is promoting the widespread development of cogeneration in Europe and world-wide. To achieve this goal, COGEN Europe is working at the EU level and with Member States to develop sustainable energy policies and remove unnecessary barriers to its implementation. COGEN Europe’s Membership includes more than 70 power companies, national cogeneration associations, suppliers and other organisations involved in cogeneration in 30 countries.
  » http://www.cogeneurope.eu/
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  Glass for Europe is the trade association for Europe’s manufacturers of flat glass. It aims to enhance broader understanding among policy-makers of what flat glass is and to underline the critical and unique role its products play in reducing energy consumption.
  » http://www.glassforeurope.com/
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  The Renewable Energy Foundation (www.ref.org.uk) is a registered charity promoting sustainable development for the benefit of the public by means of energy conservation and the use of renewable energy. Since 2006 REF has published the most comprehensive and accurate data relating to renewable electricity generation in the UK, including monthly load factors for individual generators. Recently this data has been transformed into an online, searchable list of the 5,000 plus plants subsidised under the Renewables Obligation. The aim is to provide an accurate and user-friendly source of information relating to real world performance.
  » http://www.ref.org.uk/
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  AEGPL, the European LPG Association
  The AEGPL is a dynamic platform, providing a forum for the sharing of expertise developed by LPG operators from all across Europe. This structured exchange of experiences generates innovative proposals and action plans, contributing to the energy policy objectives of national and European authorities.
  » http://www.aegpl.eu/
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  Podlaskie Voivodeship is a province in North-Eastern Poland with Białystok city as its capital. Its largely unspoilt nature is one of its great assets. The voivodeship constitutes a part of the ecologically clean area known as “the Green Lungs of Poland”. Around 30% of the area of the province is under legal protection. There are four National Parks, three Landscape Parks, 88 nature reserves, and 15 protected landscape areas. Arable land constitutes around 60% of the total area of the region – most of which is ploughland, forests, meadows and pastures. Over 120 000 farms are registered, roughly half of which are small farms of 1–5 ha and medium-sized farms of 5–10 ha. The natural conditions of the region are conducive to the development of organic growing, which at present is practised by around 100 farms. Over 600 farms in the region offer agritourist services.
  » http://www.podlaskie.eu/
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  Rinnai is the largest manufacturer of gas kitchen appliances, gas hot-water, airconditioning and heating units. The Corporation maintains a broad international presence through 20 subsidiaries and affiliates in Australia, Brazil, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the People’s Republic of China (PRC), Singapore, South Korea, Thailand, United Kingdom, United States and Vietnam. Being the leading producer of gas heating solutions worldwide, Rinnai carries on innovating to ensure a greener environment.
  » http://www.rinnaiuk.com/
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  ACRE is the national body of the Rural Community Action Network (RCAN). Its members provide comprehensive support and advocacy to help rural communities take action for themselves to achieve a vibrant and sustainable future.  Through regional and national networking, RCAN members use grass roots intelligence, good practice and innovation across England to give credibility to their advocacy.  RCAN helps improve the well-being of rural people, particularly those most in need of support, by stimulating local community action and seeking locally-led solutions. RCAN offers specialist expertise on community-owned assets, community-led planning and responses to rural challenges in the environment, housing, transport and access to services.
  » http://www.acre.org.uk/
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  NEA’s Mission is to ensure that everyone in the UK can afford to meet their energy needs in the home, sufficient for good health, comfort and well being.

  In carrying out its Mission, NEA will:

  • Use the charity’s expertise and other resources to fight fuel poverty
  • Work in partnership with the charity’s members and other key organisations
  • Work in a sustainable and environmentally friendly way
  • Recognise the value of the staff of the organisation to its overall success and promote their welfare and  development
  • Act as the expert voice on behalf of the fuel poor
  • Enhance equality and diversity

  
  » http://www.nea.org.uk/
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  Tecnocasa Climatizzazione has been operating in the field of air-conditioning and Energy saving since 1978. For more than 30 years it has been striving to achieve one goal: assigning R&D and resources in order to offer cutting-edge, efficient, reliable and environmentally friendly equipments.

  During the year 2000, the success achieved and the quality of its work led Tecnocasa Climatizzazione to a prestigious award: AISIN – a company of Toyota Group – allowed Tecnocasa Climatizzazione to become the exclusive European distributor of Gas Heat Pumps (GHP).

  After three years of partnership with AISIN, Tecnocasa Climatizzazione obtained the exclusive European distribution of Gas Micro-Cogeneration System (MCHP).

  
  » http://www.tecno-casa.com
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  Polyurethanes are versatile, modern and safe. They are used in a wide variety of applications to create all manner of consumer and industrial products that play a crucial role in making our lives more convenient, comfortable and environmentally friendly. The most important application of polyurethanes in buildings is insulation. Polyurethanes are regarded as an affordable, durable and safe way of reducing carbon emissions that lead to global warming.

  
  » http://www.polyurethanes.org
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  EC Power A/S was established  in 1996 based on the Danish CHP tradition. Our manufacturing and development is at the Head Quarter in Denmark. Following the recent development in the markets we have established  a subsidiary in Germany, with branches for sales and support in both Göppingen and Papenburg. The goal is to play a prominent role in the micro CHP market.

  EC Power is the leading supplier of energy systems for hotels, public buildings, schools, hospitals, residential care homes, swimming pools, leisure centers etc. We supply intelligent Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units of 10-50 kWe. Our solution is called XRGI – in plain words XRGI means:

  Getting the most out of your energy.

  With “easy” Power’s XRGI systems you save fossil fuels (co2) and money.

  You simply solve the dilemma of the future challenges in a green and profitable way.

  
  » http://www.ecpower.eu/
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  Euromontana is the European multisectoral association for co-operation and development of mountain territories. It embraces regional and national mountain organisations throughout greater Europe, including regional development agencies, local authorities, agriculture organisations, environmental agencies, forestry organisations and research institutes.

  
  » http://www.euromontana.org/
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  BDR Thermea is a world leading manufacturer and distributor of innovative heating and hot water systems and services. The group has a top market position in Western Europe and strong positions in rapidly growing markets. In total BDR Thermea operates in more than 70 countries worldwide employing over 6,400 people.

   

  
  » http://www.bdrthermea.com

NETWORK MEMBERS

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  The RURENER project is a network of small rural communities (villages and small towns) that want to reach a neutral energy print at the local level.

  The Network brings tools and methods to support its members’ energy strategy set-up and evaluation. It allows them to share experience, learn from each other and promote their action through mentoring and twining activities.

  Thanks to this support, small rural municipalities implement concrete action plans at the local level aiming at energy efficiency. Production of renewable energy sources, investment to save energy in buildings, education, information, etc. are at the heart of the local energy strategies. The different actions set up lead to better use of local resources and opportunities and bring innovative local development to small rural communities throughout Europe.

  
  » http://rurener.eu

FRIENDS OF FREE

• Danuta Hübner

  The FREE initiative is honoured to announce that Professor Danuta Hübner has become a ‘Friend of FREE’ to demonstrate her commitment to rural energy and rural communities. Prof. Hübner is the first to show her support for the initiative in this way.

  Professor Danuta Hübner, is a prominent Polish economist, co-creator of Polish economic policy since the early 1990s, instrumental in leading Poland toward membership in the European Union and the OECD. She became the first Minister for European Affairs in the Polish government, as well as the first Polish EU Commissioner. As Commissioner, and before that as UN Undersecretary General, she has served in some of the highest posts in global institutions. In her work as Commissioner, she was responsible for Regional Policy.

  The main challenge for rural energy is the process of encouraging local communities to engage in energy projects. This usually takes time and therefore the policy-makers must take this element into consideration.
• Lambert van Nistelrooij

  On 29 November, a ‘Friend" of FREE initative, Mr. Lambert van Nistelrooij, ', was awarded a MEP of the year in the “Regional Policy” category. Click here to learn more.

  Lambert van Nistelrooij is a Member of the European Parliament’s Committee on Regional Development and a Dutch politician.