INternational Conference on Renewable Energy Approaches for the Spatial Environment (INCREASE)

INCREASE is an acronym, which stands for: International Conference on Renewable Energy Approaches for the Spatial Environment. The idea to convene these conferences originates in 2007 when the Province of Groningen was revising its regional spatial plan. Sustainable development has always been an important issue in consecutive spatial plans and in the process of gathering input for its new plan the province sought thorough contributions in the field of energy and spatial planning. External research has been commissioned to inform the Province of Groningen about the potential contribution renewable energy resources could make to its total energy use. Over the course of this research collaboration with different institutes, such as Energy Valley, Delft University of Technology and Nederlandse Gasunie has been developed. At the same time contacts developed via Energy Valley with MGIMO in Moscow, who offered to participate in a weeklong workshop to provide the knowledge to underpin a renewable energy supply for the region, under the condition that a sweet venue and food would be arranged. The INCREASE idea was born, bringing together experts in the field in a nice location for free of charge thinking in a design workshop. The first INCREASE conference took place in Amman, Jordan in 2008 and the second one in Beijing and Shanghai, China in 2009