The SMEPlus partner Province of Groningen hosted an online regional stakeholder meeting on 23 November 2021. The stakeholders representing County of Groningen/GWS, Province of Drenthe and Regio Groningen-Assen (RGA) took part. The focus of the meeting was on updates from the recent SMEPlus study visits and discussions around the draft action plan.

Study visits

The participants were updated about the outcomes of the study visits to Italy (October 2021) and Spain (Nov 2021). The policy instruments of partners in Spain and Italy were explained and the effect on de SME's that were visited. The NL stakeholders then discussed the possibilities to implement the selected elements of those policy instrument, yet having rather small budgets at disposal.

Action plan

Province of Groningen discussed the draft action plan with the stakeholders. The participants discussed the policy instruments and good practices of the other partners, but also the results of own policy instrument. The instrument was successful, yet partners have no budgets to prolong the law enforcement. The participants talked about the value of the data that has been collected the last years and how it can be used to improve the advice that GWS wants to give to SME's on energy efficiency. The idea now is to analyse the data from the law enforcement and from the GWS CO2 calculator to make a strategy on how to improve the advice. This will be reflected in the action plan.

The next NL regional stakeholder meeting will follow soon.