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ConnectHeat project launches to unlock the potential of Energy Communities

The ConnectHeat project will build and improve public authorities’ capacity to determine and establish local energy communities, with a view towards boosting the energy transition in the heating and cooling sector.

Illustration : Ambiemente Italia

The ConnectHeat project was launched to unlock the potential of Energy Communities in Heating and Cooling through an EU-wide implementation of citizen-led and energy community initiatives.

ConnectHeat (full name: Community engagement for clean heat) will improve and build the capacities of public authorities to trigger innovative community energy initiatives through local participative and cooperative processes leading to an increased share of renewables and higher energy efficiency of heating and cooling across Europe. It has received 1.5 million Euros in funding from the EU LIFE Programme and will run from October 2022 to September 2025, developing seven real pilot cases in different EU countries.

“Even though community energy is a proven and effective approach to foster green energy transition, unfortunately, its potential remains untapped in the heating and cooling sector. ConnectHeat is the first European initiative to develop heating and cooling communities in Europe, putting public authorities and citizens at the heart of energy transitions’’
Riccardo Battisti & Chiara Lazzari, Senior Project Managers at Ambiente Italia, and coordinators of ConnectHeat.

Heating and cooling account for roughly 50% of the EU’s total energy consumption – from which more than 75% comes from fossil fuels. Renewable and clean heating and cooling is a key enabler for a sustainable energy transition towards decarbonisation and energy autonomy in the current energy crisis. Increasing energy efficiency and sustainability in this sector is necessary to achieve the ambitious targets the EU has set within its European Green Deal and recent REPowerEU plan, the most prominent one being climate neutrality by 2050.

Local and regional public authorities are well positioned to drive the green transition of heating and cooling thanks to their proximity to citizens and territories. Through the implementation of effective heating and cooling decarbonisation strategies including community energy, public authorities can significantly support Europe on its path to becoming the first climate-neutral continent.

Coordinated by Ambiente Italia, the ConnectHeat multidisciplinary consortium is composed of 10 partners from all over Europe (*denotes FEDARENE membership):