What makes RASLRES so unique and innovative is its full-supply-chain approach to supporting the development of the renewable energy sector. It will encourage partnership between public and private players across the entire supply chain. This means that both fuel suppliers and fuel users will benefit from RASLRES – farmers, farm foresters, haulage companies, plumbers, engineers, planners, facility managers, and so on.
An increased uptake of renewable energy will lead to a diversification of economic activity at regional level. This will bring significant benefits in terms of competitiveness and innovation for rural areas.
There will of course be economic benefits – the promotion of the production and use of renewable energies will help create employment and allow new business concepts and products to be piloted. Demand-side services will focus on energy users and installers. Supply-side services will focus on fuel producers, fuel processors and transport/logistics.
The main beneficiaries of development of bio-energy supply chains will include:
- public-sector heat users (e.g. local authorities)
- private-energy users (e.g. hotels, industrial heat users)
- fuel producers (e.g. farm foresters)
- fuel processors
- transport haulage and logistics
- installation services (e.g. engineering companies, plumbers, electricians).
Policy review will target local, regional and national policy decision-makers and influencers. At European Union level, the project will result in an increased knowledge and understanding of how the use of renewable energy in rural areas can address a variety of key policy agendas, such as energy targets, sustainable regional development, environmental objectives, and so on.
