Hybrid energy solutions for buildings, and infrastructure

Programme 2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B Northern Periphery and Arctic

Date of latest update: 2025-09-24

Description

Description (EN):

HYBrid Energy Solutions for buildings, and infrastructure (HYBES) project will use the Quadruple helix approach to jointly create knowledge-based tools and activities for promoting improved energy efficient solutions to achieve substantial reduction of greenhouse gas emissions within the NPA region. The project combines the concept of ‘Living Labs’ and the roll out of innovative tools to establish dedicated Decarbonisation Zones (DZ) in rural and peripheral regions. HYBES aims to build a knowledge-based ecosystem within rural communities to promote DZ opportunities and to build citizen capacity to achieve carbon neutral goals. HYBES will refine the ‘Living Lab’ concept in five partner regions; Norway, Sweden, Ireland, Iceland and the Faroe Islands. Through these Living Lab projects partners will build citizen knowledge and understanding about the importance and benefits of decarbonisation. HYBES will engage with communities who often feel marginalised by carbon neutral policies. HYBES will demonstrate how decarbonisation measures can benefit communities and individual households both financially and environmentally using existing best practices and novel innovations. The critical element will be to demonstrate through tangible outputs and education the value of decarbonisation. The project will: - Refine 5 ‘living labs’ in regions to promote and develop dedicated Decarbonisation Zones in rural and peripheral areas which can be replicated across the NPA region & beyond. - Identify good practices and techniques that can address decarbonisation challenges and help achieve carbon neutrality. - Facilitate co-creation and citizen engagement as a means of building citizen knowledge around the benefits of decarbonisation. - Offer interaction with communities and stakeholders within NPA region. - Develop a ‘carbon school’ initiative which will enable school children to see first-hand the benefits of decarbonisation initiatives with the aim of developing curriculum change.

Actual Achievements (EN):

Lead Partner of Hybes project has given priority to set up and plan Hybes activities with Hybes partners. The precontracting period LP followed up the requirement made as the Hybes project was approved. Necessary updates to the application were made. Work packet structure for Hybes were restructured and some changes were made for output indicators to align these with program definition. Also, a change in partnership was handled. Necessary contracting work has been done with Grant Letter and partner agreement has been written, accepted, and signed by all Hybes partners. LP organized and prepared Hybes Kick-off meeting in Bodø 14th and 15th February. All partners were present. At this meeting changes in application were communicated and partners was engaged in structuring activities in the short and long term. All WP lead presented their respective WP’s and corresponding activities. To secure internal communication and progress in the different WP activities of Hybes, LP organizes monthly online meetings with Hybes partners. At these monthly meetings almost, all partnership has been presented and has presented their activities. Partners has been engaged with activities set out by the lead partner, Work Package leaders and Task Leaders for semester one. A joint communication web site is established at LP waiting for NPA mini website to be implemented. Common file sharing platform promoting information and results between Hybes partners has been set up and the required communication tools and templates are developed. LP has made the draft of the Communication Strategy and partners have contributed to it. Hybes posters has been designed and partners have set up the Hybes posters at their workplaces. Press release has been distributed and shared through media channels. A key output for Hybes this period has been the preparation of the projects Joint Action Plan (JAP). The partner CCC has completed the first draft of the JAP. The JAP identifies the key decarbonisation and energy policies for each of the partner regions. To develop the JAP CCC designed a policy template and methodology to follow. Each partner region has contributed with information on regional specific policies and strategies on energy and climate goals. JAP is a tool that will facilitate discussion around project delivery for all project meetings, workshops, and events. Another key activity has been the development of the framework for the living lap concept, and the preparation of Stakeholder Workshops for each Hybes region. UCC Community Engagement Office has led this work and has initiated individual online partner meetings and consultations to prepare this activity. Partners have started up planning and mapping of stakeholder to be involved in living lab workshops and discussion with stakeholders to be involved in local pilots. WP2.1 Macro energy analysis using modelling technique and WP2.2 Best practise models for energy effiency, management and monitoring is started up during this period and Umeå Municipality has develop a template and partners have filled in energy monitoring tools in use in partner regions. In WP 3 partners have prepared the renewable energy pilots to be used. These pilots will demonstrate the use of solar and geothermal energy efficiency and flexibility in houses and demonstrate mainstream possibilities for carbon reduction and a move away from fossil fuel use for power and heating. LP has had an active dialouge with NPA secretariate in this period and has attended two Lead partner seminars organized by NPA secretariate 23rd of May and 14th of June. These seminars gave introduction to Jems and reporting practices of NPA projects. LP together with National Energy Authority of Iceland is now organizing the next Hybes partner meeting in Akureyri 12th to 14th Sept. On communication Nordland Research Institute as Lead partner has developed all required communication tools and has within this period also finished the communication plan. Early in this period partnership meeting was arranged in Arkureyri, Iceland. Main focus at this meeting was to highlight methods and practices for awareness raising towards low carbon and renewable energy society and regions. Target groups was young people. Awareness building for the energy transition towards energy efficiency and the use for renewable energy sources is vital for the Hybes project. A key output towards this was the finalisation and submission of the HYBES Joint Action Plan (JAP). Cork County Council has leaded this work. The JAP is an essential deliverable for the HYBES project as it identifies the key decarbonisation and energy efficiency policies for each of the partner regions. The JAP will be used by partners to track the project progress and to ensure that the project properly deliveries and reflects the actions and tasks set out in the HYBES application. Another main activity for awareness building has been the organization of five regional stakeholder workshops supporting regional decarbonsations solutions. These workshops follow the methodology of living lab outlined by University College Cork. Partners has made stakeholder mapping and some of the regional workshops was accomplished in this reporting period. Some will be organized early in the next period. It has been important to involve Hybes in local and regional strategies for decarbonization. Therefore, the timing of the stakeholder workshops has been coordinated with these locale process. Parallel with the implementing the regional stakeholder workshops UCC has worked on the drafting of a report based on the experience with and from the regional workshops. Based on the processes from the stakeholder workshops and the work Hybes partners acquires from monitoring the energy pilots we will further develop the model and reality behind our Decarbonisation Zones (DZ). In Umeå a study on various aspects on "Energy Community" (EC) has been carried out. This study is in line with the European Commission directives on energy communities (EC). The chosen village is “Möteplats Stöcke” and the residents will participate and contribute, in developing an EC. The aim of the report is to provide the basis for advice and examine what the current situation looks like, and what opportunities there are for developing an EC in Umeå. As part of Hybes project to develop renewable and flexible energy solutions at district level Umeå University (UmU) also has started the work on energy modelling of a cluster of buildings in the case district in Ålidhem. Within the report period partners have had a discussion of appropriated energy management and monitoring tools. Lead partner has developed a template used to describe all Hybes Pilots in detail. This will give a suitable platform for comparations and joint developed solutions. In Cork NCE uses an energy management tool to monitor energy use in Schools and is training students and teachers to read them. Another tool for decarbonation and smart solar energy has also been installed in 4 homes in Cork County. In addition, with experience from Solar energy pilots in Bodø and in Iceland Hybes contributes to make visible desentralised and local energy solutions to reduce dependence on grid. This will enhance energy safety both in cities reducing pike capacity, and in rural areas, where the electrical grid is weak or even not existing.

Project outputs: Living Labs model as a tool to facilitate behavioural change for decarbonisation(EN)
HYBES transnational partnership(EN)
Jointly developed energy monitoring and management tool for housing(EN)
Jointly developed energy monitoring and educational tool for educators and educational facilities(EN)
Pilot Solar installations in Ireland and Norway and their impact on Decarbonisation.(EN)
Retrofit of buildings in Cork and Faroe Islands(EN)
Flexible RES solutions using geothermal off-grid in Iceland, Norway, and the Faroe Islands(EN)
Model and guidelines for storage and sharing in city districts for EV based on RES resources in Sweden and Norway(EN)
HYBES model for increased energy efficiency and local energy generation as a scalable method(EN)
Website: https://www.interreg-npa.eu/projects/hybes/home/

Thematic information

Construction and renovation Renewable energy

Priority: (VI-B_NPaA_2) Strengthening the capacity for climate change adaptation, and resource sufficiency in NPA communities

Priority specific objective: RSO2.1. Promoting energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Priority policy objective (Interreg specific objective): PO2 A greener, low-carbon transitioning towards a net zero carbon economy and resilient Europe by promoting clean and fair energy transition, green and blue investment, the circular economy, climate change mitigation and adaptation, risk prevention and management, and sustainable urban mobility

Type of intervention: 053 Smart Energy Systems (including smart grids and ICT systems) and related storage

Partners (11)

Lead Partner: Nordlandsforskning

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 941316325

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 989 714 309

Address: Universitetsalleen, 8049 Bodø, Norway

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: http://www.nordlandsforskning.no

Total budget: EUR 255 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 127 500.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 50.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 127 500.00

Umhverfis og Orkustofnun

Name: Umhverfis og Orkustofnun

Department: Department of Energy Transition and Circular Economy

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 873734485

Partner’s ID if not PIC: ID: 7009241650, VAT: 02135

Address: Rangárvöllum, 603 Akureyri, Iceland

Department address: Rangárvöllum, 603 Akureyri, Iceland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: National public authority

Website: http://www.uos.is

Total budget: EUR 92 107.80

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 59 870.07

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 32 237.73

Bodø kommune

Name: Bodø kommune

Department: Business, Innovation & Development

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 905220976

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 972 418 013

Address: Kongens gate, 8003 Bodø, Norway

Department address: Kongens gate, 8003 Bodø, Norway

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Regional public authority

Website: https://bodo.kommune.no/

Total budget: EUR 99 870.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 49 935.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 50.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 49 935.00

Umhvørvisstovan

Name: Umhvørvisstovan

Department: Energy Departement

Partner’s ID if not PIC: GLN/EAN nr. 5797100000737

Address: Traiðagøta , 165 Argir, Faroe Islands

Department address: Traiðagøta, 165 Argir, Faroe Islands

Legal status: public

Organisation type: National public authority

Website: http://www.US.fo

Total budget: EUR 140 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 91 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 49 000.00

Umeå University

Name: Umeå University

Department: Department of Applied Physics and Electronics

Partner’s ID if not PIC: SE202100287401

Address: Håken Gullessons väg 20, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden

Department address: Håken Gullessons väg 20, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.umu.se/

Total budget: EUR 170 000.70

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 110 500.45

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 59 500.25

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK - NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, CORK

Name: UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK - NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, CORK

Department: Cork Centre for Architectural Education (CCAE) & UCC Civic and Community Engagement Office

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 999975717

Partner’s ID if not PIC: IE 0006286E

Address: WESTERN ROAD, T12 YN60 Cork, Ireland

Department address: Douglas Street, T12 AD7R Cork, Ireland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.ucc.ie/en/

Total budget: EUR 207 900.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 135 135.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 72 765.00

Umeå kommun

Name: Umeå kommun

Department: Environmental and health

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 999651446

Partner’s ID if not PIC: SE2120002627

Address: Skolgatan, 90184 UMEÅ, Sweden

Department address: Skolgatan, 90184 UMEÅ, Sweden

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: http://www.umea.se

Total budget: EUR 165 000.00

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 107 250.00

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 57 750.00

Secure and Fix It Enterprises T/A NCE Insulation

Name: Secure and Fix It Enterprises T/A NCE Insulation

Department: NCE Insulation Northside Community Enterprise.

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 906754740

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 636380T

Address: Redemption Road, Farranferris, T23 YW62 CORK, Ireland

Department address: Redemption Road, Farranferris, T23 YW62 Cork, Ireland

Legal status: private

Organisation type: SME

Website: https://www.nceinsulation.ie/

Total budget: EUR 191 533.10

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 124 496.51

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 67 036.59

GBER schemes / de minimis: GBER Article 20

Cork County Council

Name: Cork County Council

Department: EU Projects Office; Economic Development, Enterprise, and Tourism Directorate: Environment Directorate: Housing Directorate.

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 971322402

Partner’s ID if not PIC: 0007458M

Address: County Hall , T12 R2NC Cork, Ireland

Department address: Business Growth Hub, County Hall, T12 R2NC Cork, Ireland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Local public authority

Website: https://www.corkcoco.ie/en

Total budget: EUR 210 000.03

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 136 500.01

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 73 500.02

Orkustofnun

Name: Orkustofnun

Department: Climate change, energy transition and innovation

PIC (Participant Identification Code): 969550406

Partner’s ID if not PIC: ID: 5002695379, VAT: 02135

Address: Rangárvöllum, 603 Akureyri, Iceland

Department address: Rangárvöllum, 603 Akureyri, Iceland

Legal status: public

Organisation type: National public authority

Website: http://os.is

Total budget: EUR 47 892.20

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 31 129.93

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 16 762.27

Umeå Universitet

Name: Umeå Universitet

Department: Department of Applied Physics and Electronics

Partner’s ID if not PIC: SE202100287401

Address: Håken Gullessons väg 20, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden

Department address: Håken Gullessons väg 20, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden

Legal status: public

Organisation type: Higher education and research organisations

Website: https://www.umu.se/

Total budget: EUR 170 000.70

Partner’s programme co-financing: EUR 110 500.45

Partner’s programme co-financing rate: 65.00%

Partner contribution: EUR 59 500.25

Partners map

Partners and Projects info

Icelandic Environmental and Energy Agency

Hybrid energy solutions for buildings, and infrastructure

Partners and Projects info

City of Bodø

Hybrid energy solutions for buildings, and infrastructure

Partners and Projects info

Environment Agency

Hybrid energy solutions for buildings, and infrastructure

Partners and Projects info

Umeå University

Hybrid energy solutions for buildings, and infrastructure

Partners and Projects info

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE CORK - NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND, CORK

Hybrid energy solutions for buildings, and infrastructure

Partners and Projects info

Umeå (UME)

Hybrid energy solutions for buildings, and infrastructure

Partners and Projects info

Secure and Fix It Enterprises T/A NCE Insulation

Hybrid energy solutions for buildings, and infrastructure

Partners and Projects info

Cork County Council

Hybrid energy solutions for buildings, and infrastructure

Partners and Projects info

Nordland Research Institute

Hybrid energy solutions for buildings, and infrastructure

Partners and Projects info

National Energy Authority

Hybrid energy solutions for buildings, and infrastructure

Partners and Projects info

Umea University

Hybrid energy solutions for buildings, and infrastructure

Lead partner

Project partner

Summary

Project name (EN): Hybrid energy solutions for buildings, and infrastructure

Project acronym: HYBES

Project ID: NPA0100025

Project start date: 2023-02-01

Project end date: 2026-01-31

Project status: ongoing

Relevant linked projects:

elighthouse (EN) | The HYBES project will build on the results, experience and expertise of the previous NPA project elighthouse (2016-2019). In particular, the bespoke energy monitoring system that was developed for Cork County Council to monitor energy usage of public buildings managed by the local authority will be further expanded and developed in HYBES to monitor public housing stock, adding further value and legacy, and demonstrating the success of both current and future NPA funding. (EN), NEES (Natural Energy Efficiency and Sustainability) (EN) | This project investigated and demonstrated how construction natural materials and nature-based processes could be used to reduce carbon emissions in construction. The outputs of the NEES project (carbon reduction techniques), and the capacity built, will help inform and guide the HYBES project, with particular insight into WP3 and WP4. (EN), Energy Pathfinder (EN) | Current NPA project Energy Pathfinder (2019-2022) will also add further value to the HYBES project by providing expertise and access to key stakeholders in the realm of historic building preservation and energy efficiency retrofit, and act as a best practice solution in WP3. HYBES will also explore the potential for further implementation and testing of the energy toolkit developed by the project and demonstrate the toolkit as a best-practice for the NPA programme area. (EN), North-European Energy Cluster (N-EEC) (EN) | Joint action with three separate transnational European projects in the northern peripheral regions of Europe; elighthouse (NPA), Renovation Center (Interreg Botnia-Atlantica), and ICNB (Interreg Nord). N-EEC focused on creating added value by further disseminating project outputs, and this experience will help form and shape dissemination activities for the HYBES project. (EN), Indu-Zero (EN) | Indu-Zero project, is initiated by Interreg North Sea Region. The projects partners has develop a renovation packages to be used on semi-detached houses, terraced houses, and apartment buildings from the year 1950 – 1985. Due to its integrated approach, INDU-ZERO is a 'game changer' in the construction sector. It covers the measurement of the houses, the product design and production process to the factory design, logistics and realization on the construction site. (EN)

Relevant mentions and prizes:

Total budget/expenditure: EUR 1 579 303.83

Total EU funding (amount): EUR 613 881.97

Total EU funding (co-financing rate): 65.00%

Co-financing sources:

ERDF: Amount, EUR 613 881.97. Co-financing rate, 65.00%.
ERDF equivalent: Amount, EUR 91 000.00. Co-financing rate, 65.00%. Sources, IS.
ERDF equivalent: Amount, EUR 177 435.00. Co-financing rate, 50.00%. Sources, NO.
ERDF equivalent: Amount, EUR 91 000.00. Co-financing rate, 65.00%. Sources, FO.
Others: Amount, EUR 91 000.00.

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

(bullets are inserted automatically and may be incorrectly placed)

Deliverables:

Joint Action Plan for the HYBES project.
Communication Strategy
Tools for communication and dissemination
Living Lab model Report
Five Quadruple Helix (QH) regional stakeholder workshops.
Report on Stakeholder workshops and key recommendations for policy.
Report on implementation of three Co-Creation Cafes.
Reports on Cultural Events and Festivals as platforms for developing decarbonisation awareness.
Technical guide on the Living Labs as a tool for delivering behavioural change for decarbonisation.
Stakeholder report on the effectiveness of the Living Labs model.
Capitalisation Plan for the HYBES project
Technical report on macro energy analysis for delivery of DZs in Umea and Bodø.
Report on best practice models for energy efficiency, management and monitoring.
Technical report on energy Monitoring and Management tool for social housing.
Collaborative report on energy monitoring and behavioural change for educational facilities.
12 week educational module.
Report on the potential for educational curriculum change for the delivery of decarbonisation goals.
Citizen’s guide to decarbonisation: An end-users guide to influence behavioural change.
Report on solar energy solutions for decarbonisation.
Technical report on the benefits of energy retrofit to facilitate fossil fuel replacement.
Technical report on geothermal energy solutions for decarbonisation.
Report: Create a energy system for storage and energy sharing in city districts for EV.

Contribution to wider strategies and policies:

EuropeanGreenDeal HYBES aims to develop and implement decarbonisation zones and enable positive behaviour change within each NPA region. This will directly contribute to the decarbonisation goals of the EU Green Deal, which necessitates “prioritising energy efficiency, improving the energy performance of our buildings and developing a power sector based largely on renewable sources”. This is critical to achieve the 2030 climate objectives for the EU, and ultimately European carbon neutrality by 2050.
Other The HYBES project activities will contribute to the goals and objectives of the EU Mission Charter: Adaptation to Climate Change, which aims to support at least 150 European regions and communities towards climate resilience by 2030. The HYBES project will benefit partner regions in supporting their application to be future members of the Mission Charter.

Programme Common Output Indicator:

RCO 116 - Jointly developed solutions, Measurement unit:
RCO 084 - Pilot actions developed jointly and implemented in projects, Measurement unit:
RCO 087 - Organisations cooperating across borders, Measurement unit:

Programme Common Result Indicator:

RCR 104 - Solutions taken up or up-scaled by organisations, Measurement unit:

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Financing programme

2021 - 2027 Interreg VI-B Northern Periphery and Arctic

Last month that data in keep.eu was retrieved from the Programme's website or received from the Programme

2025-09-24

No. of projects in keep.eu / Total no. of projects (% of projects in keep.eu)

65 / 65 (100%)

No. of project partnerships in keep.eu / Total no. of project partnerships (% of project partnerships in keep.eu)

310 / 310 (100%)

Notes on the data

Languages

Contact Form

Hybrid energy solutions for buildings, and infrastructure

Description

Thematic information

Partners (11)

Partners map

Summary

Investments, deliverables, policy contributions

Information regarding the data in keep.eu on the programme financing this project

Disclaimer