European Conference on “Rural Energy communities: bridging local action and clean energy transition”

Organized by the EC4RURAL project, it will take place in Vigo on October 1st.

The EC4RURAL project, funded by the LIFE programme, aims to deepen and transform the relationship between local and regional authorities and rural communities to contribute to Europe’s clean energy transition through active and fair participation.

As we reach the mid-point of the project, this conference will showcase our progress and share insights. At the same time, the conference provides a platform for researchers and practitioners to present their work on energy transition and energy communities.

Objectives

• Present mid-term results: highlight the achievements and lessons learned from the EC4RURAL project to date.
• Facilitate knowledge exchange: provide a forum for scientists and practitioners to share research findings and practical experiences related to energy communities.
• Strengthen networks: foster collaborations among stakeholders in the field of rural energy transitions and especially energy communities throughout Europe

Target Audience

• Representatives from rural energy communities and local action groups
• Researchers and academics specialising in energy communities and rural energy transitions.
• Associations, organisations involved in energy communities
• Local and regional authorities involved in energy policy and rural development
• All of those that are interested in participating to be engaged in clean energy transition commanded by local citizens and communities
• G Near, DG Agri

Draft programme (timings are to be confirmed)

Different sessions will be arranged:

• Presenting the EC4RURAL project and achievements after two years promoting rural energy communities in Estonia and Spain
  Antti Roose (University of Tartu) and Xavier Simon (University of Vigo)
• Experiences from the community energy movement in Europe
  Óscar Güell, REScoop.eu communications manager
• ÖkoEnergieland, a Climate and Energy model region in Austria
  Andrea Moser, KEM ÖkoEnergieland Manager
• Lessons learned in the implementation of the regional-scale PV energy community “CERCA” in Calatayud
  Luis Miguel Carrasco Moreno. Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
• Thinking beyond borders: Efiduero – The first Iberian cross-border energy community
  José Luis Pascual, Efiduero Manager
• The role of energy communities from a policy perspective
  Eugenia Bonifazi, Associate Director – Ricardo Energy & Environment
• Research and Innovation in Community Energy. Open Call for contributions

Call for contributions to the conference

• Abstracts will have a maximum length of 400 words and will be presented in .pdf format.
• All contributions received will be reviewed by the scientific committee.
• Short contributions in abstract format, will be sufficient for participation in the conference
• Those authors interested in sending a full article version are welcome to send it (but this is not mandatory). These articles should have a maximum length of 15 pages, bibliography included.
• Please send your contributions to marie.permingeat@elard.eu
• In the case of abstracts and/or full articles with several authors, only the first author will receive the confirmation of acceptance.
• Abstracts and full articles, after the peer review, will be included in an e-book published by the Galician Wind Observatory (GWO).

How to register

Please, fill in this form to be registered.

Attendance is free.

Generalities

The conference will be held in a hybrid format, in English as the official language. A translation system with local language will be available.

Members of the organizing committee

• ELARD: Beata Styczen, Marie Permingeat
• University of Vigo : Xavier Simón; Beatriz Noya: Almudena Fiunte
• Juana de Vega Foundation : Noelia Cabón Morales, Tania Gesto Casás
• Eesti LEADER Liit : Triin Kallas

Members of the scientific committee

• Maria Montero (Associate Professor, Department of Economics. University of Vigo)
• Anabel Gutiérrez (Engineering Area Leader. Sapiens Energía), Martin Kikas (Energy expert. Tartu Regiooni Energiagentuur )
• Antti Roose (Visitant Professor, Resource Management and Climate Policy. University of Tartu)
• María Lamelas (Political Scientist. FEGAMP)
• Rafael Milerman (Project manager. Eesti LEADER Liit)
• Alfonso Ribas Alvarez (Director of Research and Innovation. Fundación Juana de Vega)