In the spring of 2022, the Central Danube Development Agency Nonprofit Limited Liability Company (CDDA Nonprofit Ltd.) submitted a proposal in partnership with 10 other international organisations, abbreviated as BIOWIND, which was approved in the framework of the Interreg Europe Programme, and as a result, the project implementation period started on 1 March 2023.
In accordance with the legal requirements, the CDDA Nonprofit Ltd. has recently prepared the Situation Analysis, the Development Concept (2021-2035) and the Strategic and Operational Programme (2021-2027) for the development of the Priority Area. The International Strategy, which was prepared as a supplement to the development documents, aims at the Agency becoming one of the most successful applicants in the Central Danube Region by the end of the European Union budget period 2021-2027.
BIOWIND will enable partners to address two major, intertwined inhibitors for the proliferation of wind energy: a) the opposition of local communities, and b) convoluted permitting procedures, both fuelled by concerns over biodiversity and impact on social cohesion. Sets forward an integrated wind planning approach addressing all dimensions of the “Climate-Biodiversity-Public opinion” nexus, to enhance social acceptance and secure sustainable wind energy expansion. BIOWIND will work for the convergence of wind energy and biodiversity policies, put in place dialogue mechanisms with the civil society, introduce social financial participation & benefit sharing schemes, and improve collaboration with the wind sector at local level.
Considering the fact that the geographical conditions of Hungary are less favourable for the development of wind energy utilisation (due to Hungary's basin-like geographical location there is no constant wind direction, duration and strength), and the fact that the possibilities of wind farms are highly influenced by the local topography, in addition to the wind conditions, and also by the strict nature conservation restrictions, the project will be implemented by CDDA Nonprofit Ltd. will share international best practice and experience within the Priority Area, as undertaken in the project, and will also undertake awareness-raising activities for the general public and experts.
Project title: Increasing social acceptance for wind energy in EU regions through environmental and community based planning
Acronym: BIOWIND
Duration: 01 March 2023 - 01 June 2027
EU contribution: 1,57 M EUR
Project partners: Region of Western Greece (LP), Regional Council of South Ostrobothnia, Zemgale Planning Region, Northern and Western Regional Assembly, University of Patras, Province of Flemish Brabant, CDDA Nonprofit Ltd., Marshal Office of Świętokrzyskie Region, Autonomous Community of the Region of Murcia - General Directorate of the Natural Environment, Asturias Energy Foundation, The Hellenic Society for the Promotion of Research and Development Methodologies (PROMEA).
The 4th BIOWIND project meeting took place on 11 February 2025 in Budapest, where participants discussed the progress of the project, the development of policy instruments and sustainability strategies.
From project updates and policy discussions to an engaging peer-review session, the day was filled with valuable exchanges.
Highlights of the day:
A big thank you to everyone for your active participation! We hope you all had a great time and that those traveling home have a safe journey. For those still enjoying Budapest, happy sightseeing!
The organizer and facilitator of the professional day was Inez Fekete, International and Top-Priority Project Manager of CDDA Nonprofit Ltd.
From 1-2 October 2024, we participated in a two-day BIOWIND study trip to Kauhajoki, Finland. The event was attended by key partners and stakeholders of the BIOWIND project from several European countries, including representatives from the Regional Council of South Ostrobothnia, the City of Kauhajoki, the University of Eastern Finland and renewable energy organisations.
Highlights of the first day:
The first day of the study tour opened with a welcome address by Kauhajoki Mayor Niku Latva-Pukkila. Afterwards, participants discussed wind energy projects and strategies to increase social acceptance.
Among the most important presentations were:
🔹 Wind energy initiatives in Kauhajoki, presented by Marke Nummijärvi, Development Manager, and wind energy projects in the municipality of Isojoki, presented by Juha Herrala, Mayor of Isojoki.
🔹 Status and prospects of wind energy acceptance in Finland, presented by Jakob Donner-Amnell, researcher at the University of Eastern Finland.
After the morning presentations, the participants visited the Suolakangas wind farm for on-site experience and then visited the UNESCO Global Geopark at Kaikankanjoni. The day ended with a dinner at the Hotel Krouvi restaurant, where networking opportunities were provided.
Highlights of the second day:
The second day started with the BIOWIND Steering Committee Meeting, where the partners, led by Dionysios Karvelis (Western Greece Region), discussed the progress of the project, the main tasks to be accomplished and the upcoming milestones.
This was followed by important presentations:
🔹 Social support for wind energy in West Flanders, Belgium, by Bart Decraemer, Renewable Energy Coordinator.
🔹 An online presentation on the current state of wind energy in Finland by Kimmo Kyrölä, Renewables Finland.
The study tour concluded with a discussion on the future of wind energy, including plans for the next Steering Committee meeting in Hungary in 2025, presented by Inez Fekete. At the end of the visit, the group explored the impressive Lauhanvuori Observation Tower and the Kivijata Quarry to study more wind energy development practices.
This study tour facilitated cooperation and knowledge sharing between the partners. The partners will continue to work on developing sustainable energy solutions in the future!
The meeting was attended by Inez Fekete, International and Top Priority Manager of CDDA Nonprofit Ltd., responsible for the coordination of the Biowind project.
On 13 February 2024, the second stakeholder meeting of the BIOWIND - "Increasing social acceptance for wind energy in EU regions through environmental and community based planning" project took place at the Jankovich Hotel, Rácalmás.
The participants of the expert workshop were welcomed by Andrea Grónay, Managing Director of KDMFÜ Nonprofit Ltd. Then Inez Fekete, International and Priority Project Manager of KDMFÜ Nonprofit Ltd. presented the BIOWIND project and the results achieved so far, including the experiences gained at the interregional workshop in Ireland.
Afterwards, Dr. habil. Béla Munkácsy, Associate Professor at the Department of Environment and Landscape Geography, Faculty of Natural Sciences, Eötvös Loránd University, gave an overview of the current situation of wind energy in Hungary and the sustainable use of renewable energy sources. Finally, he presented the RENewLand project.
At the end of the meeting, a round table discussion was held with the participants of the meeting, where they reviewed
🔹 the current state of play (in view of the changes) of the rules on the development of renewable energy and wind energy,
🔹 the situation of wind turbines currently in operation in Hungary,
🔹 views on the domestic use of renewable energies, energy storage options,
🔹 the current situation of energy communities, with particular reference to the Central Danube Region, and
🔹 the potential for the combined use of solar and wind energy.
In the framework of the BIOWIND project, project partners participated in a 2-day interregional workshop in Sligo this week, organised by the Northern and Western Regional Assembly. The aim of the meeting was to enable BIOWIND partners and stakeholders to understand the crucial role of public participation in energy transformation, share best practices and explore how community participation measures can be integrated into private projects.
The theme of the workshop was based on a background study that included guiding principles on how to promote community participation, such as community involvement in the different phases of a wind energy project (planning, permitting, environmental monitoring).
The interregional workshop was attended by Inez Fekete, International and Top-Priority Project Manager, representing KDMFÜ Nonprofit Ltd.
Today the first meeting of the stakeholder group of the project "Increasing social acceptance for wind energy in EU regions through environmental and community based planning" (BIOWIND) took place in the Budapest office of the Central Danube Development Agency Nonprofit Ltd.
The workshop was opened by Andrea Grónay, Managing Director of KDMFÜ Nonprofit Ltd.
A presentation by Inez Fekete, International and Flagship Project Manager of KDMFÜ Nonprofit Ltd. ensured that the key stakeholders were able to gain knowledge about the BIOWIND project, its objectives and planned (future) activities.
The exchange of knowledge, experience and expectations shared during the workshop, which was moderated by Inez Fekete, contributed greatly to the implementation of the project and, through this, to the development of the Central Danube Region.
In order to achieve the project objectives, KDMFÜ Nonprofit Ltd. will organise regular meetings with stakeholders (once every six months) to involve key stakeholders in the regional exchange of experiences and learning process.
Fekete Inez, International and Top-priority Project Manager
E-mail: fekete.inez@kdmfu.hu
