Duesseldorf/Wuppertal. The EnergyAgency.NRW (www.energieagentur.nrw) works on behalf of the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia since 1990 as an operative platform with broad expertise in the field of energy: from energy research, technical development, demonstration, market launch and energy consultancy to continuous vocational training. Many of its activities focus on energy efficiency and climate protection. In times of high energy prices it is more important than ever to forge ahead with the development of innovative energy technologies in NRW and to highlight from an impartial point of view how companies, local authorities and private individuals can handle energy more economically or make appropriate use of renewables. The EnergyAgency.NRW operates with around 140 employees mainly from its locations in Düsseldorf, Gelsenkirchen and Wuppertal. It receives funding from, among others, the European Union's ERDF(European Regional Development Fund).
The focal areas covered by EnergyAgency.NRW:
Cluster and Network Management: Acting on behalf of the NRW Economics Ministry, the EnergyAgency.NRW manages the Cluster EnergyRegion.NRW and is responsible for high-powered networks for climate protection in a total of 27 individual assignments. These encompass, for example, the subjects of system transformation, energy infrastructure, energy market design, business and financing models and knowledge management, as well as the networks Foreign Trade, Biomass, Fuel Cells and Hydrogen and Electromobility, Energy Efficiency in Municipalities, Energy Efficiency in Companies, Geothermal Energy, CHP/Local and District Heating, Mobility, Photovoltaics, Heat/Buildings, Hydropower and Wind Energy. The EnergyAgency.NRW also organises the networks "Energy Economy" and "Mining Economy". The network operations focus on highly competitive co-operative ventures to initiate innovative projects and products, to speed up their market readiness and to exhaust all economic potentials.
The EnergyAgency.NRW is also the home for the cluster EnergyResearch.NRW (CEF.NRW). CEF.NRW acts as the contact body for all matters relating to energy research in NRW. It works to ensure that new technological and socio-economic knowledge is applied in practice more speedily than hitherto. For this purpose the cluster initiates research and development projects as part of a collaborative effort between research institutions and industry. CEF.NRW highlights the complex energy supply system as a whole in its interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary activities. (www.cef.nrw.de)
Energy consultancy: Engineers from the EnergyAgency.NRW supply information on energy weak spots – from technical systems in buildings to production processes in companies. This ranges from the heating system and heat recovery through to insulation as a protection against heat and cold in large production shops, from leak detection to the drawing up of energy concepts. The experts give advice on possible sources of funding, they help companies to cut energy costs and thus to enhance their competitiveness.
Knowledge management: The EnergyAgency.NRW offers a range of continuous training seminars – including some for end consumers. The seminars offered can be used by continuous training institutions, energy supply utilities, corporate associations and federations, institutes of higher education, municipalities and companies in NRW, and also via the internet. Within the programme, user motivation projects such as "aktion Efit" and “mission E” are also offered to company workforces. In addition the EnergyAgency.NRW provides an online platform on the internet for vocational initial and continuous training (www.energieagentur.nrw/wissen)
Actions and projects: "EnergyDialogue.NRW" - Information and Consultancy Platform for Renewable Energies in NRW - is an active information and advisory service for the general public, local authorities and investors. It is organised by the EnergyAgency.NRW. The purpose of EnergyDialogue.NRW is to make an active contribution to the resolution of conflicts. Where there are disputes – for example during planning and permission procedures – those actively involved in NRW can take advantage of the professionally managed conflict reconciliation services. (www.energieagentur.nrw/energiedialog )
In addition the EnergyAgency.NRW co-ordinates state-wide market initiatives and joint actions. “OldBuildingNew” (www.alt-bau-neu.de ), "Building Check Energy", "Solar Check NRW", the projects "50 Solar Housing Estates in NRW“ (www.energieagentur.nrw/solarsiedlungen) and "100 Climate Protection Estates in NRW“ (www.energieagentur.nrw/klimaschutzsiedlungen), the "Wood Pellets Campaign" (www.aktion-holzpellets.de) or the "Heat Pumps Marketplace NRW" (www.energieagentur.nrw/waermepumpen) or the Market Initiative “Photovoltaic NRW” (www.energieagentur.nrw/photovoltaik) and "CHP.NRW – Power Meets Heating“ (www.kwk-für-nrw.de) supply the general public in NRW with information on environmentally friendly and innovative heating technologies and give tips on energy conservation.
EnergyAgency.NRW on the Internet:
EnergyAgency.NRW in the networks:
www.energieagentur.nrw/newsletter