SME POWER – SMEs powering a low carbon future

Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the economy, but their potential to increase energy efficiency and use renewable energy remains untapped. There are a huge number of SMEs operating across Europe, which means that changing their energy behaviour is an essential part of the transition to a low-carbon economy. SME POWER targets non-energy-intensive SMEs: the silent majority that have not yet recognised the benefits that the transition to a low-carbon economy will bring.

The overall objective of SME POWER is to ensure that energy policies are better adapted to the needs of less energy-intensive small and medium-sized enterprises, thus enabling them to be a key factor in the low-carbon transition at European level.

SME POWER will operate in three main areas:

– improving the energy situation in buildings and work processes in small and medium-sized enterprises;

– development of more energy-efficient products;

– investments in strengthening workers' capacities.

Thanks to the exchange of good practices at the inter-regional level, the SME POWER project will prepare action plans to improve energy policies in six European countries (5 ERDF policies and one national policy instrument).

The SME POWER project was funded by the fourth call for proposals of the Interreg Europe programme. The project lasts for 4 years, starting on 1 August 2019.

SME POWER brings together 7 partners from Italy, Germany, Slovenia, Spain, Finland, Ireland and the United Kingdom. The lead partner of the project is ARRR – Agenzia Regionale Recupero Risorse from Tuscany (Italy).