EU governments have refined and improved their plans to meet the EU’s climate targets thanks to guidance and workshops provided by a project co-funded by EU LIFE, REDI4HEAT. Measures that will encourage renewable heat, such as the support of direct heat production from renewable systems, local heating and cooling plans, and thermal energy as a service, are now referenced in Greece and Portugal’s national energy and climate plans (NECPs). These plans are required by EU law to show how a country will meet the EU’s targets. 

What’s more, in Poland the project’s outcomes, such as the Key Success Factors, contributed to the alignment of funding mechanisms like the Clean Air Program with RED targets; in Croatia, REDI4Heat contributed to the transposition of RED III into national legislation as well as to the update of the NECP, with national workshops also used as consultation forums and finally, in Germany the project supported municipal heat planning through networking with the stakeholders, sharing experiences and provision of technical guidance. 

This is just one of the successes of the REDI4Heat project, which is now drawing to a close after three years. The project’s aim was to better align NECPs with EU legislation on heating and cooling. 

Through detailed assessments of NECPs, REDI4Heat identified policy gaps, proposed improvements and facilitated their integration into revised national strategies. The project also developed a suite of open-access tools, including the Policy Tracker, the Heat Transition Toolbox & Knowledge Sharing Centre, to equip policymakers and stakeholders with practical resources. 

The project held capacity-building events in each of the five Member States, engaging designers and developers of the technology, heating and cooling experts, researchers and energy agencies, industrial associations, municipalities and regions and end users. Over 1,000 stakeholders were reached through different events, workshops, trainings and consultations. These efforts were instrumental in strengthening national coordination, improving regulatory clarity and fostering local ownership of the heating and cooling decarbonisation. 

As Dr. Vassiliki Drosou, REDI4HEat project Coordinator, stressed out “REDI4HEAT has provided essential policy intelligence and practical pathways to accelerate the uptake of renewable heating and cooling across Europe. By aligning technical innovation with regulatory insight, the project has empowered decision-makers to implement sustainable heat strategies that are actionable, scalable and aligned with EU climate goals.” 

Looking ahead: policy alignment and just transition 

As the EU moves toward its 2030 climate and energy targets, REDI4Heat underscores the importance of clear roadmaps for phasing out fossil fuels, stronger integration of just transition principles, and consistent application of the Energy Efficiency First principle. The project’s findings will continue to be available to inspire policy debates and be a source of support for national authorities as they finalise and implement their updated NECPs. 

Rewatch REDI4Heat’s latest webinar to join the conversation.

About REDI4Heat 

The REDI4Heat project (2022–2025) was coordinated by the Centre for Renewable Energy Sources (CRES), with 12 partners across Europe, including national energy agencies, technical experts, and key industry associations. The project received €1.6 million in funding from the EU’s LIFE Programme. 

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