Day 1: Monday 13 May

Main Conference Hall

General welcome by representatives from REScoop.eu, UKEN and the European Climate Foundation.

With keynotes from:

• Jozef Síkela - Minister of Industry and Trade
• Achille Hannoset - European Commission
• Tereza Vohryzková - Friends of the Earth Czech Republic Energy Cooperative

Room: Praha

What role can energy communities play in the energy transition. What are the possibilities in the current energy system/market, what are the changes we would like to see and how can we make them happen?

Main Conference Hall

The Clean Energy Package introduced, for the first time, provisions for energy communities. Nevertheless, in the context of the Green Deal and REPowerEU, acknowledgment of energy communities across EU policy has continued to expand into renovations, energy efficiency, and heating and cooling policy, as well as evolve, such as in the electricity market design. This session will present the latest EU legislative developments that will significantly influence the future development energy communities on the ground.

Room: Ostrava

With the publication of the www.energycommunityplatform.eu, REScoop.eu aims to address the needs of starters by giving them access to an online database with relevant tools and publications to start up their businesses. In this session we will highlight some of the SCCALE 203050 tools that are particularly relevant to starters including the guide to community energy, the methodology guide, the municipality guide, the inclusivity guide and the finance guide.

Main Conference Hall

Do you sometimes wish your local authority had been trained in community energy issues so that it could better understand and support your needs and ambitions?
Do you wish you had more clarity about the assets, skills and needs that cities and towns have so that you can better connect with them to co-develop community energy projects?

Take a look at the LIFE LOOP Accreditation program and Matchmaking tool! By joining, municipalities will be able to attend a short online training session outlining the key opportunities and skills needed to support new community energy projects. Participants will have access to online resources and an online platform to promote networking and effective pairing between municipalities, energy communities, and citizen-led initiatives.

Room: Praha

Thinking about joining forces to talk to decision-makers? During this workshop, energy communities and civil society actors from eastern European countries will discuss the early steps of their pongoing experience in gathering broader coalitions to promote their activities and get an more supportive regulatory frameworks.

Room: Ostrava

Engaging with members and the community around you is absolutely necessary for creating a successful energy community. In this workshop, we will share techniques to help you understand the community around you and create a members engagement strategy to attract new people and keep them on board.

Main Conference Hall

As citizens become more interested in developing energy communities, so too have investors and traditional commercial energy companies. This session will deep dive into the growing phenomenon of hijacking of the concept of energy communities also called ‘corporate capture’. This phenomenon is already evident in several EU Member States, including Portugal, Greece and Hungary. We will discuss the roots of this issue, existing examples around the EU, while also brainstorm on responses and solutions, including campaign actions and potential changes to national and EU legislation.

Room: Praha

Digital tools are becoming key parts of managing an energy community or running specific energy services. In this workshop, we will present some ongoing coopertaive initiatives aiming at keeping control over digital tools and we will reflect together about how to push this control further.