Renewable energy strategy planning is one of the services offered by the COACH BioEnergy project. The Hungarian pilot project that is being carried out in Szada, Pest county is approaching the end. During the last one year COACH BioEnegry project partner Szent István University has mapped the potentials for renewable energy production in Szada with special focus on biomass sources. As the periphery of Szada lies mostly under protection as Natura 2000 site and agricultural activities stopped in the last decades the municipality is not able to supply itself with biomass sources from within its administrative borders. Szada can nevertheless make use of the so far unutilised firewood potential of the nearby Gödöllő forest. The forestry would also happily supply biomass for nearby utilisation instead of to be used in far away biomass power plants. As long term solution the idea of biomass plantations on fallow land was raised which would need the cooperation of farmers and the coordination of planting.

On the energy utilisation side the municipality plans to invest in energy efficiency measures at the local school and its buildings by refurbishing its heating system. Project partner Szent István University hopes that the reconstruction will go along with replacing condensation gas boilers by a bigger sized biomass boiler.

Also local inhabitants have shown interest in utilising solar and biomass energy in their homes. A smaller group of inhabitants seemed interested in launching investments jointly in order to decrease equipment costs by joint orders. This would however also need a coordinating institution.

Progress in terms of energy consciousness is also visible within the leading bodies of the municipality. Two local representatives committed themselves to pay special attention to energy efficiency and sustainable energy production developments mainly on municipality but also at inhabitants’ level. Thus informally an energy subcommittee was arranged which will play an important role in decision preparation. Hopefully the public benefit organisation of the municipality will be active in implementing sustainable energy measures like gathering useful biomass sources for residential utilisation or the supply of public institutions with biomass.

The renewable energy planning process will end in mid April with the organisation of the third local forum where the study consisting of the results of the one-and-a-half-year process and further possible activities for the future will be presented.