Webinar: “Impact through trust: Co-designing energy communities with vulnerable households”
This last webinar in the POWER UP series will feature the experiences of the pilots in Campania (Italy) and Eeklo (Belgium), showing how local energy communities can become credible and trusted actors in fighting energy poverty.
“It won’t be our wind turbines – it will be yours” Eeklo creates a gateway to cheaper energy for vulnerable households
In Eeklo, a Belgian town of 21,500 inhabitants, the POWER UP pilot team wanted its municipal investment in a citizen-owned wind turbine to have a true social impact. That is why, a few years ago, it turned its membership share in the Ecopower cooperative into 100 “social shares”. We wanted to understand how this idea has come to life.
How one Czech town is bringing solar energy to social housing
In Rožnov pod Radhoštěm, a town of 17,000 in eastern Czechia, the POWER UP project is piloting a simple but ambitious idea: install rooftop solar panels on a block of 85 social housing flats and share the electricity directly with the residents. These households are among the 9.2% of Czech citizens estimated to live in energy poverty. This pilot offers them locally produced, low-cost power—and a new way to take part in the energy transition.
Webinar “More Than Just Renewables: The Social Impact of Energy Sharing”
This webinar will be showcasing how local governments in Valencia (Spain) and Rožnov pod Radhoštěm (Czech Republic) are turning renewable energy projects into tools for social justice and fighting energy poverty. Beyond technical innovation, both pilots show that fighting energy poverty starts with trust: in institutions, in local actors, and between citizens.
“This isn’t a short-term project, it’s a 25-year commitment.”
Valencia is bringing solar energy to those who need it most. A crucial part of the project’s success is its strong collaboration with social services, ensuring that the right people benefit from the initiative. We’ve asked Arturo Zea Falcon, in charge of energy at Valencia Clima i Energia, a city-owned foundation, how everything started and what remains to be done.
Community-driven solutions – country by country
Across Europe, energy poverty limits access to affordable and sustainable energy, disproportionately affecting vulnerable households. The POWER UP National Guides provide a practical roadmap for municipalities, cooperatives, and local organisations to develop inclusive, community-led renewable energy solutions.
Practical guidance for tenants and landlords with PV appetite
The landlord sees it as a stranded asset as he is not benefitting from the electricity her-/himself. As for the tenant, he may have neither the money to pay for upfront costs nor the power to install new infrastructure on the building. Good information and advice may help getting safely through the jungle.
Power to the People: policy changes for inclusive energy communities
The latest POWER UP report presents key policy recommendations to support inclusive energy communities across different contexts, ensuring they benefit vulnerable households and contribute to a just energy transition.
Energy poverty is not a fatality! Renewables are one solution.
Since the start of POWER UP co-designing activities, a selected group of people struggling with energy poverty were actively involved in collective decisions around renewable energy production. But awareness-raising and support should not be limited to a few. That is why, over the past months, the four pilots of POWER UP engaged a broader group of residents in activities whereby they learned how to have control over their energy consumption.
Building an energy community in Italy – a rollercoaster story
In an interview with Marine Cornelis from Next Consumer, Felipe Barroco from AESS describes how much of a rollercoaster the implementation of such a social energy player is, but how rewarding also each small advancement feels for him and the local community in Campania region.
