How can local authorities turn climate ambitions into concrete action? This question was at the heart of the PLANtoACT consortium meeting held on 7-8 October in Bourget-du-Lac and Aix-les-Bains, France. Hosted by our member and project partner Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Énergie Environnement (AURA-EE), the meeting brought partners together to exchange experiences, explore common challenges and learn from a local example of the energy transition in practice.
One message stood out throughout the discussions: successful local energy planning depends not only on technical solutions, but also on cooperation, political commitment and the capacity to turn plans into projects.
Making local energy planning work for municipalities
A joint workshop with the LIFE project ESCALATE explored the challenges municipalities face when planning local heating and cooling. Limited data, financing constraints, difficulties engaging stakeholders and the complexity of planning guidelines can all make it difficult for local authorities to move forward, particularly when staff, expertise and resources are limited.
These challenges are interconnected. Ambitious climate targets are important, but municipalities also need reliable information to identify suitable solutions, financial resources to implement them and the support of the people and organisations involved. Exchanging experiences across the two projects offered an opportunity to reflect on practical ways to overcome these barriers and make planning processes more accessible to local authorities.
The discussions also set the scene for a visit to Bourget-du-Lac, where partners could see how cooperation and long-term planning can translate into tangible infrastructure.
A local example of cooperation in action
In Bourget-du-Lac, a district heating network combines wood energy with recovered heat from the nearby Desgranges flour mill to supply public buildings, apartment complexes and other local consumers. With approximately three kilometres of pipeline and an expected annual heat supply of 4.3 GWh, the network illustrates how locally available energy resources can contribute to the transition towards more sustainable heating.
Yet the project’s most valuable lesson extends beyond the technology itself. Its development brings together the municipality, the citizen-owned cooperative Centrales Villageoises Eau et Soleil du Lac and private-sector partners through a dedicated project company, Chaleur Partagée du Bourget-du-Lac.
This collaborative approach demonstrates how different actors can contribute to a shared objective, combining public priorities, technical expertise and citizen participation. It also highlights the importance of clear governance and early engagement. Connecting apartment buildings to a heating network, for example, can require approval from co-owners, making it essential to build trust and support from the beginning.
Financing is equally important. The project represents an investment of approximately €5.3 million, supported by around €4 million in grants through ADEME‘s Fonds Chaleur and the energy-efficiency certificate scheme (CEE). The example illustrates how public support can help make renewable heating infrastructure financially viable, while underlining the need to coordinate funding, partnerships and local demand.
For municipalities considering similar initiatives, the takeaway is clear: planning for the energy transition means planning for the people, resources and decisions that will make it possible.
Connecting experience with PLANtoACT’s next steps
The consortium continued its discussions in Aix-les-Bains, reviewing PLANtoACT’s progress, modelling results for the pilot regions, co-creation activities and capacity-building work. These exchanges linked the project’s technical and planning approaches with the practical challenges explored during the workshop and site visit.
By helping local and regional authorities strengthen their capacity to develop and implement energy and climate plans, PLANtoACT seeks to bridge the gap between strategic ambitions and action on the ground.
The meeting in France reinforced why this matters. Effective local energy planning requires sound technical foundations, but its success ultimately depends on collaboration, local engagement and the conditions needed to put decisions into practice. Sharing experiences across regions and learning from real projects can help municipalities navigate these challenges and turn their climate ambitions into lasting change.
Explore the PLANtoACT Knowledge Hub
Looking for practical resources to strengthen local energy and integrated planning? Visit the PLANtoACT Knowledge Hub to explore knowledge and resources supporting local authorities and energy stakeholders in turning their plans into action.
