ARAEN - Regional Energy Agency - is a permanent and operative body in Abruzzo region, set up by  with Regional Law n. 6 of 8 February 2005 art.64. The non-profit agency was established within the SAVE II community program, approved by the EU European Commission with contract no. ENER/4.1031/A/99-006. 

The activities are primarily related to the improving the management of energy demand by promoting better utilization of local and renewable resources, to optimize production costs, to support research aimed at the best possible exploitation  of energy supply, to the management of regional energy functions in the field of energy.

The actions are therefore also oriented towards improving the environment, controlling air pollution, mitigating and adapting actions to climate change and sustainable development in line with national and international goals and strategies.

ARAEN in carrying out its role of support in the implementation of regional energy policies, acts as coordinator of the stakeholders related to the regional energy system and citizens.

The objective is the implementation of targeted actions aimed at:

• improving the management of energy demand, by promoting energy efficiency;
• encouraging better use and rational management of local resources;
• Fostering the development of renewable and low environmental impact energy;
• supporting energy in the region's economic development strategy;
• raising public awareness of a more responsible use of energy;
• adopting and promoting the best available technologies for energy saving and energy efficiency both in public services and private consumers, also through pilot projects;
• improving living conditions in mountain areas also through the creation of a biomass market and other renewable energy sources, thus giving farmers the opportunity to obtain additional incomes;
• supporting research in the energy field, in a sustainable development the framework;
• reducing energy supply costs;
• carrying out the specific activities assigned by the Region.

These objectives are also pursued through collaboration with national and European networks such as Renael (National Network of Local Energy Agencies), Fedarene (European Federation of Agencies and Regions for Energy and Environment) and AER (Assembly European of the Regions), as well as global networks such as Under2coalition.

Renewable and low environmental impact development actions

ARAEN supports regional energy policies related to the energy sources use development.

In the field of renewable energy sources:

• Solar thermal;
• Solar photovoltaic;
• Biomass;
• Wind;
• Mini hydraulic;
• Geothermal.

In the field of conventional energy sources:

• to increase the use of energy sources with low environmental impact such as electricity in locomotion, use of methane and LPG both as fuel and as fuel;
• to spread cogeneration in industrial, residential and service sectors;
• to verify and test, for the purposes of wider application, new technologies aimed at the use of energy sources with lower environmental impact.