ConnectHeat has been supporting energy communities as part of a wider effort to empower citizens and municipalities while advancing Europe’s energy transition.

The project’s last in-person consortium meeting took place on 8 September in Genk, Belgium, where partners reflected on the achievements and challenges of the three-year initiative dedicated to driving decarbonisation across Europe.

Marking the final milestone of the project, the last ConnectHeat policy workshop was held on 24 September at the FEDARENE office. The event brought together participants both in-person and online, showcasing heating and cooling communities, their role within broader energy transition strategies, and important takeaways for the Citizen Energy Package.

Key in-person speakers included Rui Pimenta (AdePorto), Katharina Hartmann (Project Officer, DG ENER, Unit B1), Vera Kissler (Project Officer, DG ENER, Unit C1), Vinicius Valente (Project Advisor, CINEA), and Talia Brun Marcen (Project Advisor, CINEA). Online key speakers included Christiane Egger (Upper Austria Regional Energy Agency), Raúl García (Gran Canaria Island Energy Council), Marco Costa (Modena Energy and Sustainable Development Agency), Riccardo Battisti and Chiara Lazzari (Ambiente Italia, ConnectHeat project coordinators).

ConnectHeat Position Paper: Bridging policy and practice

The ConnectHeat project coordinators presented the Position Paper, which highlights the persistent gap between policy and communication, particularly for heating and cooling. While electricity is often the focus of community energy discussions, heating and cooling require more visibility and support.

Key recommendations from the paper include:

  • Ensuring open access to heat networks and exploring new incentives for integration.
  • Promoting citizen cooperatives to share district heating systems.
  • Supporting community financial participation, awareness-raising, and capacity building for municipalities and citizens.
  • Strengthening the role of public authorities, fostering close cooperation with energy agencies.

The coordinators also shared lessons from the six diverse pilot cases developed by ConnectHeat, which included different building types, renewable technologies, and community engagement models. Additionally, regional policy roadmaps developed by ConnectHeat have been officially endorsed by local authorities, providing a solid foundation for policy guidance in the Citizen Energy Package.

Download here the Position Paper

Insights from the field

Several participants shared practical examples of energy agencies driving the transition on the ground:

  • Raúl García (Gran Canaria) emphasized the need for grid flexibility, storage, and digitalization to avoid delays in decarbonisation. Experiences from islands and other territories highlight the importance of supportive legislation and local capacity building.
  • Rui Pimenta (Portugal) showcased energy communities tackling energy poverty in Porto and Matosinhos. Local energy agencies facilitated citizen participation, built trust, and developed non-profit structures for social housing, benefiting over 500 families with renewable energy solutions. These pilots are designed to be replicated across other municipalities.
  • Christiane Egger (Upper Austria) highlighted gaps in the full implementation of energy communities across Member States, emphasizing that without a robust legal framework and access to data, progress remains slow.
  • Marco Costa (Italy) presented examples from AESS, including retrofitting public buildings and citizen-led renovation projects. Energy agencies serve as OSS, facilitating citizen engagement and implementing initiatives such as the EEPB next year.
  • Loic Cobut (FEDARENE) discussed challenges in accessing banking services for energy communities and the importance of capacity building within the financial sector.

Across all presentations, a clear message emerged: energy agencies are central to the success of energy communities. They provide on-the-ground support, facilitate citizen engagement, and ensure renewable energy initiatives have measurable social impact.

Looking ahead

ConnectHeat shows that for the energy transition to succeed, everyone and every energy resource must be part of the process. By leveraging these insights, Europe can turn ambition into action.

FEDARENE will soon share its position paper for the Citizen Energy Package, featuring key recommendations shaped significantly by the invaluable contributions of our members, reflecting their practical experience and on-the-ground knowledge. Stay tuned!