The aim of the project is to raise awareness on energy poverty in rural areas of Southeast Europe, and the possibilities of energy transition and establishment of energy communities. The key activities of the project are focused on capacity building of public institutions at the national, regional and local level, potential founders of energy communities, as well as civil society through workshops, info days and summer schools. Special attention will be dedicated to young people who will participate in summer schools in Slovenia and Croatia, where visits to examples of good practices will be organized. The project will result in a tool for planning energy efficiency measures and integrating renewable sources in energy communities, reports and a guide for rural communities to combat energy poverty.
Energy poverty is widespread in poor rural areas of South-East Europe. Promising solutions to tackle this problem are energy efficiency measures and switching to renewable energies. However, their implementation remains difficult. Energy Communities (ECs) and their potential to pave the way for a clean energy transition are largely unknown. ECs are citizen-driven climate actions that combine non-commercial goals with environmental, social and community objectives. The EU’s Clean Energy Package (2019) provides for ECs to be set up as legal entities. However, in Slovenia and Croatia, the legislative frameworks are inadequate and do not fully apply the definitions of energy poverty from EU legislation, while there is no legislative framework for ECs in place in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo. There is also a lack of experience, awareness and knowledge of ECs in these countries.
SDEWES Centre is the lead partner (Implementing organisation) of this project which includes other 4 partners from 4 countries in the Southeast Europe:
1. City of Đurđevac - Croatia (HR)
2. RDA Green Karst - Slovenia (SI)
3. Balkan Green Foundation - Kosovo (KSV)
4. LIR Evolution - Bosnia Herzegovina (BA)
