News
Kicking off three new European projects
REScoop.eu is excited to announce that we have started, or will soon be starting, work on three new European projects. These initiatives focus on tackling energy poverty, building capacity for local and regional authorities in their clean energy transition, and providing direct support to emerging energy communities. Through these projects, we will collaborate with partners to produce a wide range of outputs that will support the development of energy communities across Europe. Below is an overview of our new projects:
SOCIALNRG
Energy poverty and vulnerability continue to affect many households across Europe, with current solutions often limited to short-term financial relief or social tariffs. The SOCIALNRG project aims to address these issues by developing and testing a new, adaptable approach in three pilot social housing communities in Slovenia, Italy, and Belgium. This approach involves a co-design process led by vulnerable families to create or adapt energy communities, with an emphasis on peer exchange and learning across the pilots.
As part of SOCIALNRG, REScoop.eu will develop policy recommendations to overcome existing barriers and support the successful implementation of these approaches across Member States. We will also coordinate the project's capacity-building program, training relevant stakeholders in nine additional EU countries, with the goal of empowering vulnerable families to reduce energy costs and actively participate in their energy community’s governance and decision-making.
The project kicks off on the 22nd of October. For more information, please contact Heleen Schockaert at heleen.schockaert@rescoop.eu.
SPARKLE: Sustainable Planning and Resilience Knowledge Learning Environment
SPARKLE is a pioneering capacity-building program that will equip over 600 Local and Regional Authorities (LRAs) with the skills, tools, and inspiration needed to successfully develop and implement their clean energy transitions. The project will provide a free, open-access online learning platform and a modelling tool that will be sustained beyond the funded period, with opportunities for upscaling explored. These resources will be vital for LRAs in implementing their Clean Energy and Climate Transition strategies across Europe.
REScoop.eu is leading the work on two key pillars:
- Governance of climate and energy transition pathways, in collaboration with Energy Cities.
- Community energy for locally owned renewable energy production.
The project kicks off on the 8th of October. For more details about SPARKLE, please contact Antonia Proka at antonia.proka@rescoop.eu.
European Energy Communities Facility
The Energy Communities Facility is a new initiative launched to empower and support emerging energy communities across Europe, providing them with the tools they need to thrive. Through lump sum grants and tailored capacity-building efforts, this initiative will help at least 140 local projects develop solid business plans and unlock investments in sustainable energy. Beyond financial support, the Facility will also offer specialised training and resources to shape innovative, long-lasting business models. These replicable solutions will ensure the continued growth of energy communities, fostering long-term impact.
To ensure the broadest reach and the most effective support, the Energy Communities Facility will collaborate with a network of national experts, creating a vital link between grassroots initiatives and the EU level.
The project was officially kicked off with our partners at a meeting on the 5th of September in Brussels, Belgium.
For more information about the project, please contact Sofia Corsi at sofia.corsi@rescoop.eu.
