Planners are encouraged to follow the framework in a sequential manner, from preparation to implementation, monitoring, and review.
Click on the diagram to navigate through the Regio1st Planning Framework's 8 stages.
Stage 1 focuses on laying the groundwork for developing an effective regional energy plan. It involves determining the geographical area and scope of the planning, defining roles and responsibilities, identifying existing regional energy plans, and starting the process for developing the plan.
The first step is identifying the geographical area that the regional energy plan intends to cover. This may include, for instance, a specific area of interest (e.g. covering a group of municipalities) or the entire region. Subsequently, the scope of the plan needs to be defined, for instance the plan may encompass selected sectors and specific energy sources (electricity, gas, heat etc.), or all key sectors and energy sources. Key sectors to consider in energy planning include:
Buildings, equipment & facilities: Residential, commercial and municipal/institutional buildings and facilities. Manufacturing and construction industries can be considered as well.
Transport: Transportation within the regional/local authority boundary disaggregated by mode (road, rail, waterborne navigation and off-road) and by fleet type (municipal, public private and commercial transport).
Energy Supply: Facilities for the generation of energy (e.g. electricity, CHP and heat/cold production plants) within the regional/local authority boundaries.
Other non - energy related: Agriculture/forestry/fisheries, waste management, wastewater management and other non-energy related. A clear definition of the geographical area and scope of planning will help ensure the plan's relevance and effectiveness.
The effective coordination and collaboration of the planning team is essential for an effective process. In this step, planners should identify key departments within the region, as well as key stakeholders (e.g., regional energy agencies), that will actively contribute throughout the regional planning process and define their roles and responsibilities in the planning process. Establishing appropriate structures that support the planning process is also good practice, such as a steering committee or working group with a defined mandate to undertake specific tasks and activities.
Roles and Responsibilities Matrix
This Excel tool can assist planners in determining and assigning roles and responsibilities, ensuring that all necessary tasks are covered and that the process is well-coordinated and efficient. The tool can also help define the role and responsibilities of stakeholders actively involved in the planning process, as well as produce a visual matrix that facilitates communication and collaboration among the planning team members.
Roles and Responsibilities Matrix Download
Additional resources
Before embarking on the creation of a new regional energy plan, existing plans and strategies in the region should be considered. This should include strategies and plans that focus on sustainable energy, infrastructure development, transport, waste and other relevant urban and rural activities.
This review will help identify potential synergies, overlaps, and gaps in the current planning landscape and inform the development of a new regional energy plan (or enable the more effective revision of an existing one). The successes and challenges of previous planning efforts should also be considered, as these can provide valuable insights and lessons learned for the development of the new plan.
Once the groundwork has been laid, the framework for developing the regional energy plan needs to be set up. In particular, the planning process needs to be established, taking into consideration the planning and decision-making processes of the regional authority. The timeline, budget, and resources for developing the plan need to be determined. Moreover, the technical capacity of the region needs to be assessed along with whether there is a need to commission part of the work to an external party (consultancy, regional energy agency etc.). In this case, the regional authority’s relevant procurement process needs to be followed (which also defines what is being sub-contracted and why) and approvals need to be obtained from the relevant competent structure (often the regional council), as well as the necessary resources need to be allocated. Resources may include funds, staff, and access to technical expertise and data.
Overall Stage material
Co-funded by the European Union under project ID 101076088. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or CINEA. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.