Terms of use

1. Description and aim of the SEADRION Network

The SEADRION project aims to support the development of a regional innovation system for the Adriatic-Ionian (ADRION) region with the installation of 3 seawater heat pump pilot plants in public buildings located in Greece (Alexandroupolis) and the western and southern part of the Adriatic Croatia (Crikvenica and Dubrovnik). Installation of a measuring system in pilot plants will allow data collection and comparison with operating conditions from these pilot plants, which will be shared with members of the SEADRION Network.

The aim of transnational cooperation network for the development of the seawater heat pump sector in the ADRION region is following:

• promoting goals and objectives of the SEADRION Strategy;
• promoting lesson learned and operation results from the installed SEADRION pilot plants;
• developing a common path for improving regional research-driven innovation and seawater heat pump business maturity;
• promoting the transition toward an industrial model with a high level of seawater heat pump research and technology application;
• supporting the integration of the innovative enterprises and clusters in seawater heat pump international innovation network;
• creating and boosting Adriatic-Ionian area the seawater heat pump product market;
• bridging the gap among the existing wide regional disparities;
• activating collaborative research, knowledge transfer, industrial innovation, and skill development in the field of the seawater heat pump;
• supporting the cooperation among triple helix actors in the framework of the EUSAIR strategy;
• disseminate information and educational materials suitable for end-users, energy advisers, training of installers, bore-hole drillers and other parties involved in the supply chain and sales channel of heat pumps.

1.1. Objectives and area of implementation

The main objective of the SEADRION network is to establish a network between SMEs, Research Organisations and Business Support Organisations from different regions of Adriatic – Ionian Area.

The members of Network hereby undertake to support and promote initiatives aimed at fostering cooperation between signing parties, dissemination of results from the SEADRION pilot plants, tracking implementation of goals from SEADRION strategy with particular reference to the following areas:

1. The development of a permanent seawater heat pump transnational network composed of regions, enterprises and academia aimed at developing collaborative research, best practices exchange, industrial innovation, and skill development in the field of heat pump development and application, shared productive and commercial industrial Strategy, common policy action for favouring heat pump products market uptake;
2. Designing and putting in place international collaboration agreements and partnerships also through the application of projects in the frame of the EU and national calls for proposals (LIFE, Horizon Europe, European Territorial Cooperation – Interreg) in the seawater heat pump related matters;
3. The transfer of good practice on seawater heat pump installation, operation, tendering and national legislation, and other experience from operation and installation of SEADRION pilot plants in Greece and Croatia.
4. The exchange of knowledge on existing heat pump policies in the region, incentive schemes and public assistance to industry,
5. Sharing experiences and practices on how countries with a more developed heat pump economy are dealing with this area
6. Exchange of information and/or ideas on:
   • support SMEs through knowledge transfer in heat pump utilisation;
   • establish links between stakeholders that are involved in the utilisation of heat pumps;
   • how to create contacts on proposals and concrete needs for industrial and commercial cooperation;
   • business cooperation and research opportunities for businesses, business associations, research and development institutions;
   • market trends, legislation, relief bureaucratic obligations, etc.;
   • how to connect research institutes and industry through existing clusters or associations;
   • how the existence of a heat pump could contribute to higher integration of renewable energy sources or what opportunities heat pumps offer for the region.
7. Cooperation between research and industry on:
   • analyses the potential of seawater heat pump systems for utilisation and integration of solar and wind generation systems, individually and in combination;
   • development of specific projects of applied research on heat exchangers, pipes and heat pump materials,
   • Research in the field of biological film, algae, slime, molluscs and influence on local temperatures and sealife.

1.2. Members of the Network

All organisations legally constituted in Europe, including national and regional associations, suppliers, utilities, individual manufacturers, research institutes, energy efficiency agencies, networks, and international organisations, may at any time apply to become a member of the SEADRION network.

They will become the means to facilitate the “change” of the heat pump sector by deploying the project methodology, project tools, and participation in local working groups.

1.3. Role Analysis

SEADRION’s methodology foresees two specific roles in the organisation and operation of the Network.

These roles are the “Administrator” and the “Local mentors/brokers”:

• The Administrator of the Network is representative of the project coordinator from UNIZAG FSB. The administrator will promote the concept of the Network and will attract the interest of the SMEs and Researchers to join. The administrator will work on the connection between Local Mentors and Stakeholders, development of platform and implementation of ideas from Stakeholders and Local mentors.
• Local mentors/brokers will promote the concept of the Network and will attract the interest of the SMEs and Researchers to join. Local mentors/mentors will be responsible for training the SMEs to exploit the tools and services of the networks and minimise the time needed for an SME to gain the maximum benefit from its participation in the Network. The Local mentors/brokers will organise meetings on a national level to discuss problems and needs for better implementation of heat pumps in the ADRION region.

SMEs representatives will be one of the key stakeholders of SEADRION’s Network. The SMEs will also be the members of the Network gaining the most profits from their participation to it since they will have the possibility to facilitate their level of access to the Best Available Technologies of their sector offered by Research Organisations.

2. Responsibilities – Obligations and Privileges of the members

The specific section details the main responsibilities, obligations and privileges of the members of the Network. It will consist of a document named “General Terms & Conditions of the SEADRION Network”.

2.1 General Terms & Conditions of the SEADRION Network

2.1.1 Introduction

The SEADRION Network (‘we’ or ‘us’ or ‘network’) offers the possibility to:

• SMEs of the heat pump sector and related sectors (‘SME’),
• Higher education, training centres, schools and research organisations and/or any entity with proven capacity to produce research results in the heat pump sector and related sectors (‘Research Organisations’),
• National, local and regional public authorities, and to
• Business Support Organisation,

By registering as a member or using the Network’s services in any way, you accept these Terms of Service (“Agreement”), which forms a binding agreement between you and the SEADRION Network.

2.1.2 Objective of the SEADRION Network

Build on the heritage and prospects of the Heat pump and related Sectors, bringing together SMEs from different regions and giving them access to the best available technologies offered by research organisations to increase their competitiveness

2.1.3 Membership fee

There is no membership fee.

2.1.4 Responsibilities and Obligations of a member

• Each member (SMEs, Research Organisations and Business Support Organisations) is responsible for generating and maintaining its account on the web platform of the Network, which is the main tool for the operation of the Network.
• Members are responsible for keeping their own information accurate and up to date.
• Any business between members is at their own risk. The Network is not responsible for any transactions between members. Use common sense when going into business with someone.
• Each member is responsible and obliged for proper use of information listed on the Network’s platform. The Network is not responsible for the abuse of this information or for any damages resulting from the use of this information
• In case of abuse of the services of the platform after registration, the account owner will be contacted and asked for clarification. Failure to alleviate charges of fraud may result in the termination of the member’s account.
• Each member is responsible for the content uploaded to the platform. For each piece of content that a member submits, the member represents and warrants that: it has the right to submit the content to the Network and grant the licenses set forth above; the Network will not need to obtain licenses from any third party or pay royalties to any third party; the content does not infringe any third party’s rights, including intellectual property rights and privacy rights; and the content complies with this Agreement and all applicable laws.
• Users of the Services will operate in a lawful, ethical and professional manner. Users shall conduct themselves in a fair, responsible and businesslike manner at all times and will avoid any discourteous, deceptive, misleading or unethical practices. You are solely responsible for any information and/or data you leave on our platform.
• The Network does not control the content posted and does not guarantee the content’s accuracy, integrity, or quality.
• Under no circumstances will the Network be liable in any way for any content, including but not limited to any errors or omissions in any content or any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of any content posted or otherwise made available via the Platform or the Services.
• Examples of unethical or unlawful activities include, but are not limited to the following:
  • False, misleading or disparaging statements of any kind including but not limited to about the Network or its members;
  • Any unauthorised use of the name, logo, trademark or copyrighted material of the Network or its members, or any other person or entity;
  • Violation of any state or local laws or regulations;

2.1.5 Member information and reputation

The SEADRION Network provides an online platform for the heat pump sector and related sectors SMEs, Research Organisations and Business Support Organisations. We run a reasonable quality check on our members but cannot guarantee their reputation.

3. Tools of the Network

Tools are available for each of the user profiles and roles to enable and facilitate each participant/member’s work and provide the functionality to the platform. Members can be SMEs, Research Organisations or Innovators offering Best Available Technologies and their innovative research and Business Support Organisations interested in facilitating the SMEs’ internationalisation. All users sign in to the Network by creating a detailed profile of their institution or company. This profile includes basic information about the company, a short description, a list of interests, and space for presentation (through pictures, documents or data) of the most interesting products.

Major tools are:

• general account search
• list of interests (major interests and minor interests), which influences the search and notifications which can be toggled on/off
• search mechanism (per topic of interest), which can search through materials, data repository and documents of the Network
• Network Calendar (to organise their work and meetings inside the SEADRION network), which includes events for the whole Network and the option to input and follow personal events and meetings with members of the Network, including e-mail notification
• Pilot plant data – users can see operation conditions from at least one pilot plant installed in the frame of the SEADRION project and can request additional data/information from other pilot plants
• Request match tool – toggle on/off – user can ask for the help of the broker to create connections outside their area
• E-library – the main documents created in the frame of the SEADRION project

Each user builds a profile, and depending on the user’s role on the platform, tools at their disposal in accordance with their needs are expressed through the activities of the SEADRION project. General account search, search mechanism and network statistics are at disposal for all users.

4. Terms and Conditions for the members

The SEADRION platform works as a platform supplied with data and profiles of the network members. Using this platform, you agree to the storage and processing of your data on the platform according to the GDPR. It may not be available 24/7 for technical, legal or operational reasons. The Provider can also suspend your access at any time at our sole discretion without responsibility to you. You use the network services at your own risk. Neither the Provider nor the Network Operator is responsible to you for any damages, losses, costs or expenses you suffer because the network services are unavailable, does not operate as expected or causes loss or loss damage to any data.

The terms are accomplished with their applicability to laws and regulations to be read, understood and bound themselves in their terms.

Two categories of data exist on the platform (owner chooses the licence):

• Public use – user allows for such data to be distributed freely on the internet. The profile can also be “public” or “private” (visible only to researchers from the field of interest which was defined by the user)
• Network confidential - users are prohibited from copying, modifying, displaying or transmitting the information from this website to other websites or publishing the data provided from other participants/network members without prior Agreement on cooperation. The information, data or software with a database or other services should not be leaked for any commercial advantage.

One has to accept the terms and policies of the platform for its usage. All the available content within the platform is completely owned by network members who published the content. The sole membership in the Network does not grant any permission to any copyrights or patents. The usage of the platform would terminate automatically if any violation were observed in the terms and notices. The usage is completely at the users’ own risk as the website may contain inaccuracies or errors technically. The services and the information provided on the site can be modified without any prior notice. The user can continue to use the website only if you accept the modified Agreement.