ERDF Interreg IVa 2 Seas

The general goal of the ACE project is to outline a transition process to achieve a low carbon economy, starting from a business perspective. Methods were developed on legal, economic, spatial, technical and social level to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases and to raise competitiveness in the project areas at the same time.

ACE explores how low carbon principles can be implemented on three levels: individual businesses, business networks and business parks. Guidelines were developed to improve the energy efficiency at these three levels and to organize the collective production of green energy in a competitive way. The research is based on sustainable industrial model building and eco-industrial business parks and was then applied to the ACE pilot projects. The goal of these pilot projects is to meet the EU 20/20/20 CO2 reduction targets, to diversify the traditional economic structure and to teach companies to deal with economic and climate changes.

ACE will also establish interregional cooperation networks to encourage innovation in clean tech and the transition of knowledge among the different partners. The project does not only focus on attracting businesses in the sector of clean tech and renewable energy, but also helps existing companies to make the transition to a low carbon economy.

Partners

• Hastings Borough Council
• Ecopal
• West-Vlaamse Intercommunale
• Stad Gent
• ECM, Universiteit Gent
• Power-Link, Universiteit Gent
• EELAB, Universiteit Gent
• Sea Change Sussex

Further information

This project is supported by ERDF Interreg IVa for the period June 2011 - September 2014.