Rhône-Alpes

The Green Energy Cluster in RhoneAlpes, France:

Rhônalpénergie-Environnement (RAEE)

Website: www.raee.org

E-mail: raee@raee.org

Phone: +33 04 78 37 29 14

Fax: +33 04 78 37 64 91

Lyon Chamber of Commerce

Website: www.lyon.cci.fr

E-mail: ledys@lyon.cci.fr

Phone: +33 472 40 57 26

Fax: +33 472 40 59 65

Partner information:

Rhônalpénergie-Environnement (RAEE)

Rhônalpénergie-Environnement (RAEE) is the regional energy and environment agency in the Rhône-Alpes region. Created 25 years ago by the Regional Council of Rhône-Alpes the agency aims at contributing to the promotion, to the co-ordination and the development of actions in favour of the rational use of energy, the promotion of renewable energies, the protection of the environment and the practical application of the sustainable development concept.

The activities of RAEE are mainly targeted to local authorities and the para-public sector. The agency is accompanying them through information, advice and assistance which takes several forms:

animation of a resource and exchange centre like the regional observatory of energy GHG emissions
advising and accompanying local authorities and other public bodies during the preparation and the realisation of projects (wood heating plants, parc of wind turbines, solar hot water systems etc.)
accompanying and carrying out programs or global actions on a territory (RES strategy plan for the Regional Natural Park of Vercors, set up of school travel plans, Club of sustainable cities and territories in Rhône-Alpes etc.)

Rhônalpénergie-Environnement is a non-profit association and gathers about 40 members of the Rhône-Alpes region, including the Regional Council of Rhône-Alpes, the 8 «départements», several towns, the energy producers (EDF, GDF (French electricity and gas board) ), associations and consumers federations (in social housing, in the transport and industry sector) financial bodies etc... This structure guarantees an efficient and wide spread dissemination of the results obtained. Concerning e.g. renewable energies and production of electricity Rhônalpénergie-Environnement has the opportunity as key partner of the regional network of associations promoting renewable energies (IERA) to spread to targeted sectors key messages and assist in their application.

At the national level Rhônalpénergie-Environnement is part of the RARE network (Réseau des Agences Régionales de l’Energie et de l’Environnement), regrouping actually 11 regional energy and environment agencies, which are ready to serve as a relay in the information dissemination. At the European level, Rhônalpénergie-Environnement is member of the FEDARENE (65 agencies in 13 EU member states) and assures its presidency. The agency is also member of the OPET network especially focussing on the electricity production by RES.

Rhônalpénergie-Environnement has a long experience in managing and handling of European actions covering as well investment projects in the framework of the THERMIE A / 5th FP programme as studies, analysis of market potentials and dissemination activities in the framework of the ALTENER, SAVE, INTERREG A and B programmes. As regional energy and environment agency, the staff of Rhônalpénergie-Environnement has a great experience in organising conferences and seminars, as well as producing brochures or setting up Web pages. His staff is therefore highly qualified and can assure the implementation of this action in the best way possible. Rhônalpénergie-Environnement gives a high priority to the dissemination of information and know-how. This is why it organises every year around 10 seminars and workshops with a maximum of 100 persons attending.

Lyon Chamber of Commerce

The Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Lyon (CCI of Lyon) is a public establishment. The main missions of the CCI of Lyon are:

To represent and promote the economy of the constituency in relations with the government and local authorities.
Advise and assist businesses with their projects. Inform and train at every stage of the professional life.
Create and manage the facilities necessary for the development of the local economy.

The Chamber of Commerce of Lyon (Industry and Services Division) offers personalised advice to SMEs in search of finance or innovation assistance. CCI of Lyon is working on measures to encourage innovation. Meetings with hundreds of company heads are alerting them to fresh possibilities for contracts, advice. The CCI of Lyon also performed some technical audits, and plays its part in the organisation of major fairs and exhibitions dedicated to SMEs.

Industry and Services Division of the CCI of Lyon is also permanently connected with its European network which relies on partnership with consultancy companies, information services, business associations, chambers of commerce and industry, technology parks, RDT information or technology transfer.

The CCI of Lyon is Euro Info Center Rhône-Alpes, Member of TII (European Association for Transfer of Technology Innovation and Industrial Information) and Member of EBN. Moreover, the Chamber of Commerce of Lyon is currently involved in several European projects dedicated to SMEs.

The CCI of Lyon use to transfer to regional SMEs the new tools and methodologies developed during the European Projects.

Lyon Chamber of Commerce is one of main cluster stimulators in the region. Rhone-alps region currently hosts several clusters which are in different development stages: Environment and energy clusters (with sub-clusters like Acoustic cluster, Renewable Energy Cluster…), chemistry and petroleum cluster, Industrial Vehicles (Trucks) cluster and Biotech cluster are between initial and mature phase, ICT Cluster, the screw cutting cluster in the ‘Arve Valley’, Plastic Valley Cluster, Lyon Game cluster .