Heerlen in The Netherlands: Preparing the ground when projects stall
“Stopping was not a failure. It was the starting point,” reflected Guus van der Nat when we spoke about Heerlen’s journey in the POWER UP project. His words captured the resilience that defined the Dutch pilot: a story of recalibration. The municipality of Heerlen started as a pilot in the POWER UP project and turned active observer due to local difficulties.
New report calling for stronger support to inclusive energy communities – we agree!
We want to amplify the very timely call that stick out when reading the TANDEM project’s final policy brief: To make community energy more inclusive, fair and effective, national frameworks must better support cooperation between local authorities, citizens, and energy actors.
Lunch webinar in Flemish (6 Nov): Combating energy poverty in your municipality – Insights from Eeklo
Join this webinar at 12h to see what the Belgian partners Eeklo and Ecopower have accomplished in the past 4 years in making energy fair and affordable for all. What is in there for others to “copy”?
Let’s talk about social energy business solutions in Barcelona, 4 Nov!
Join us at the Smart City Expo World Congress 2025 on the morning of 4th November: meet us in Hall 2, Stand 1 and we can have a chat about how to best design energy services so that they are both affordable and inclusive.
Opening a window to energy communities in North Macedonia
Currently, there are no energy communities in North Macedonia. Local capacities, technical expertise, and citizen engagement remain limited. POWER UP may bring some change.
Join our POWER UP Final Event to see what comes next in policy and practice
Join us for a dynamic morning event bringing together leading voices from municipalities, energy cooperatives, social justice advocates, and policy-makers to explore the future of inclusive, community-led energy systems in Europe and beyond
Communication as a gateway to trust: learning from local POWER UP approaches
In regions grappling with energy poverty from the North to South of Europe, information on access to energy or support to energy retrofitting isn’t just helpful—it’s transformative. The municipalities involved in the POWER UP project recognised this early on.
Renewables for a really good cause
It dates back to 2021, when four cities in Italy, Spain, Czech Republic and Belgium set off to produce renewable energy. Social equity was built in each of the business models as of day one. Initial dreams turned into reality thanks to very pragmatic approaches.
Webinar summary: Impact through Trust – Co-designing Energy Communities with Vulnerable Households
The session, moderated by Marine Cornelis, focused on two pilots from Campania (Italy) and Eeklo (Belgium); both developed in complex local contexts but united by a common goal: ensuring renewable energy benefits reach those most in need.
Meet POWER UP in Brussels: 11 June session “Is energy sharing possible? Empowering communities for inclusivity”
Claudia Carani from AESS is part of a fantastic speaker panel at the European Sustainable Energy Week. During a policy session, she will be sharing the work of the Italian POWER UP pilots in Campania area around the co-design of a social energy scheme. In a conversation titled “Energy sharing for vulnerable consumers” Claudia will […]