4th Interregional Event in Biržai, Lithuania
The 4th interregional event of the project took place on 18-19 June 2025 in Biržai, Lithuania, hosted by project partner Biržai District Municipality Administration. The two-day event brought together partners and stakeholders from 6 countries to exchange experiences, showcase good practices, and discuss policy solutions supporting the energy transition at regional and local levels.
DAY 1: June 18th 2025, Biržai Castle Arsenal Hall
The first day of the event took place at the Arsenal Hall of Biržai Castle and was dedicated to the exchange of good practices, energy policy insights, and an overview of the regional energy context.
The morning session opened with presentations of good practices from partner regions, showcasing concrete approaches to decarbonising industry through renewable energy and circular economy initiatives. Contributions included:
- a technical presentation from the Italian company Bono Energia S.p.A.,
- examples from Greece (Th. Nitsiakos AVEE, Dodoni S.A.),
- a presentation on behalf of the Municipality of Ptuj by Mr. Davorin Korpar, who highlighted the city’s integration of solar energy and local energy communities,
- input from the Czech Technical University in Prague, and
- an academic perspective on education and knowledge transfer from Assoc. Prof. Jože Kortnik (Slovenia).
The afternoon programme focused on national energy policy and regulatory frameworks, with contributions from:
- Jakub Maščuch, Energy Advisor to the President of the Czech Republic, who presented a high-level policy perspective,
- a representative from the Lithuanian Ministry of Energy, who shared the country’s current priorities, and
- Dr. Karolis Januševičius, from the Lithuanian energy regulatory authority VERT, who provided insights into the regulatory role in the green transition.
This was followed by a presentation of the Biržai regional market analysis by Lukas Lubauskas from the Lithuanian Innovation Centre (PP05). The analysis identified key opportunities and challenges for improving energy efficiency and fostering a sustainable industrial ecosystem.
The day concluded with site visits to two local businesses successfully implementing energy efficiency measures:
- Rinkuškių Brewery, demonstrating innovations in energy use in beverage production,
- Biržų Duona Bakery, a long-standing business merging tradition with modern sustainable energy solutions.
Participants ended the day with a guided cultural tour of the Biržai Castle Museum "Sėla", gaining a deeper understanding of the region’s identity and heritage, which complemented the energy discussions with cultural context.
DAY 2: June 19th 2025, Biržai District Municipality Hall
The second day focused on strategic collaboration, co-creation of shared solutions, and outlining future steps for the decarbonisation of industrial sectors across partner regions.
The morning was dedicated to interactive thematic working groups, where participants discussed challenges and opportunities based on the Biržai regional analysis and the best practices shared on Day 1. The sessions were divided into key themes and aimed at strengthening transnational knowledge exchange and interregional cooperation.
A major part of the programme was devoted to shaping the Repower Industries Transnational Strategy. Partners reviewed the proposed structure, identified priority areas for action, and began drafting key content. It was emphasised that the strategy should be grounded in local potential, innovative pilot solutions, and coherent policy frameworks that support a sustainable energy transition.
The final session of the day focused on the Action Plan working group, where partners discussed approaches for involving regional stakeholders and integrating the proposed measures into strategic documents. Discussions highlighted that local flexibility, circular economy principles, and capacity building through education and awareness are vital elements for the long-term decarbonisation of industry.