ENNEREG in Lithuania: Kaunas County and Šilutė Municipality

Author: Eugenija Farida DZENAJAVIČIENĖ, ENNEREG Partner for Kaunas County, Lithuania - Email

ENNEREG in Lithuania

The Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP) for Kaunas County is currently being developed under the ENNEREG project by the project team of Lithuanian Energy Institute (LEI). LEI is working with ENNEREG Twin Region Šilutė Municipality, Lithuania to update and significantly revise its initial SEAP produced in 2010.

This article introduces the Kaunas Region and Šilutė Municipality and describes 2 new ENNEREG Good Practice Case Studies from Kaunas.

ENNEREG Pioneer Region - Kaunas County

Kaunas County is situated in the centre of Lithuania and is the only one of 10 regions that has no external national boarder. There is no specific emphasis on energy activities in regional and municipal development plans in Kaunas County, although the energy sector is among the most important in public governing system, as energy expenses takes a significant share of costs in public sector and households. Currently only Kaunas City Municipality is a member of the Covenant of Mayors and has elaborated a Sustainable Energy Action Plan.

Image: Arial view of Kaunas. © Liudvikas Rimantas ŽIEMYS, Photographer from Lithuanian Energy Institute (LEI).

The main energy goals for the Kaunas Region for year 2020 are: RES share in final consumption - 30%; RES in transport – 10%; Electricity generation using RES – 40%; Heating and cooling using RES – 34%; Energy savings – 11%; Reduction of CO₂ emissions – +8% since 2010.

The goals are to be reached via: renovation of public and residential buildings; modernization of energy generating capacities; conversion of boiler-houses and power plants to RES and; building of new plant burning municipal waste; renovation of district heating supply systems; renovation of public transport; bicycle paths, etc.

Find out more in the ENNEREG Profile for Kaunas County »

ENNEREG Twin Region
Šilutė Municipality

As part of the ENNEREG project, Lithuanian Energy Institute (LEI) is working with the Twin Region for Kaunas County, Šilutė Municipality, Lithuania to update and significantly revise its initial SEAP produced in 2010. The key mission of the Šilutė Municipality is the reduction of CO₂ emissions by 20% by 2020 under obligations to the Covenant of Mayors.

Image: General view of Šilutė from plane “Šarka” guided by radiowaves. Photographer: © Kęstutis Fedirka

Šilutė Municipality is in the lowest part of Lithuania, bordered by Curonian Split of the Baltic Sea and Nemunas, in the west of Lithuania on the external border with Russia (Kaliningrad Region). Its total population on 1 January 2011 was 49877 (urban: 19720; rural: 30157).

LEI has made an obligation to update the plan, including production of explanatory Memo, including current situation of energy sector, explanation of strategic guidelines and good practice examples in Lithuanian language under ENNEREG.

LEI has also made obligations to arrange one seminar on Energy Efficiency after presentation of revised action plan.

Find out more in the ENNEREG Profile for Šilutė Municipality »

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2 New ENNEREG Good Practice Case Studies from Kaunas County

Two new ENNEREG Good Practice Case Studies from Kaunas County have been added to the Good Practice Section of the Regions 202020 website. 

Kaunas City Christmas Trees - ENNEREG Good Practice in Intelligent Energy Education

The Kaunas City Christmas Tree can be considered as a very nice educational project on energy efficiency and environmental issues. The main objective of the project was the erection of a Christmas Tree composed of a combination of recycled waste material (e.g. plastic bottles) and innovative technologies (e.g. LED lighting). It was a highly discussed project receiving wide public attention. The tree was elected as the most beautiful Christmas tree in Lithuanian towns. A second environmentally-friendly Christmas Tree in Kaunas City was decorated by students.

Download ENNEREG Good Practice [EN - English] | Further information »

Birštonas - Ecotown, Kaunas, Lithuania - ENNEREG Good Practice in Energy Efficient Buildings and Renewables

Birštonas – the smallest Municipality of Kaunas region - participated in the ECO-Life project (Sustainable zero carbon ECO-town developments improving quality of life across EU) under CONCERTO initiative in FP7. The large number of demonstration activities is based on both the demand side (demonstration of ECO-buildings and rational use of energy) and the production side (demonstration of various renewable energy technologies). All demonstration projects are defined in a "Whole Community Approach".

Download ENNEREG Good Practice [EN - English] | Further information »