Enercracy

The EU has set ambitious green transition goals, emphasising the localisation of renewable energy systems and greater citizen involvement. Energy democracy plays a crucial role in this transition, with energy neutrality at the local level being essential for overall success. Municipalities are key to this effort, supporting local energy initiatives through Energy and Climate Plans (ECPs). However, many municipalities operate within an information bubble, lacking awareness of effective CO₂ reduction strategies in other countries. They often have limited access to innovative ideas and even when they do, municipal staff and residents may struggle with trust and the necessary skills to implement these initiatives. This is particularly true for emerging concepts like energy communities, where municipalities are unsure how to adopt best practices to generate the green energy needed for climate neutrality. The Enercracy project aims to bridge these knowledge, skills, and trust gaps through transnational learning and joint activities in energy planning. This includes defining necessary measures to achieve energy neutrality, fostering the creation of new prosumers and energy communities, and providing capacity-building programs for municipalities, residents, and SMEs. By equipping them with the latest skills, the project helps shift more individuals and organizations from consumers to prosumers. A larger number of municipalities, businesses, and residents must take an active role in energy production to scale up the green transition. Achieving this requires careful planning and deeper knowledge of renewable energy systems—gaps that Enercracy will address through targeted actions. The Enercracy project is co-financed by the Interreg Baltic Sea Region Programme, which fosters transnational cooperation to address shared challenges and drive sustainable development across the region. The project's total budget is EUR 1,591,594.51 (including EUR 1,273,275.59 of EU funding).