After an extensive selection of project replicants, the following 14 DECIDERs have been selected, providing a diverse geographical and topical distribution, e.g., energy management in buildings, sustainable mobility, collective self-consumption, sustainable heating system, and “power farming".
The cooperation between DECIDERs, DECIDE pilots and the DECIDE consortium is going to kick-off mid of July with the so-called Coffee Shop, which is an element of the DECIDE Knowledge Hub.
The DECIDE Knowledge Hub is an online space in line with the DECIDE goal to actively transfer knowledge and build capacity on Energy Communities and Collective Actions. This Gateway serves regulators and policymakers, facilitators and energy community enables, (potential) Energy Communities / Collective Action initiators, directing visitors to the existing and emerging initiatives most suited to their needs, providing links to repositories, marketplaces, databases, platforms and projects among others.
Take a look and become part of the DECIDE knowledge Hub
Meet the project DECIDERs
Abattoir
Abattoir is located in the middle of the city of Brussels, Belgium. The site (10ha) evolved from a pure slaughterhouse to a hub for start-ups in the food industry, answering the need for fresh and safe food in urban areas. As urban farming is closely interlinked with the availability of electricity/heat and water, Abattoir wants to further develop ‘power farming’ where the production of food and renewable energy are combined and reinforce each other. Abattoir is a living lab of sustainability where business, living & leisure/education meet, fuelled by renewable energy, rainwater harvesting and human connection.
ABCDevelopment
The Albanian Business Cooperation Development (ABCD) Ltd is a company operating in the transport, logistics and mobility for the development of technical skills and competences of transport operators, public bodies and local authorities in Albania and Regions through research, consultancy and training. ABCD carries out the activity in collaboration with public authorities (Tirana, Provinces and municipalities, Railway and Port related authorities), private companies (logistics providers, manufacturing companies, transport operators, etc.) and educational institutions (business schools, universities, professional educational programme providers, etc.). ABCD is supporting cities in Albania in developing sustainable mobility plans for people and goods and to become part of EU projects for low-carbon transport in the city.
Alpine Pearls
Alpine Pearls is a transnational network of tourism destinations in the Alps, promoting sustainable tourism with focus on soft mobility. The RECAP initiative is a cooperation between Alpine Pearls, the City of Magliano Alpi (that in December 2020 activated the first italian REC in compliance with the early adopted RED-II Directive) and the Energy Center of the Politecnico di Torino. The initiative aims at fostering the development of sustainable mobility using renewable sources within a governance model based upon Renewable Energy Communities and at creating RECs in the Alpine Pearls villages, enabling synergies between building retrofit, RECs and e-mobility
SEC and CESCO
SEC is a nonprofit organisation supporting social enterprises through research, consultancy, and network-building towards building a solidarity economy. CESCO is a nonprofit company developing community solar projects across the country established by a project consortium led by National Society of Conservationists - Friends of the Earth Hungary. Together the Solidarity Economy Centre (SEC) and Community Energy Service Company (CESCO) are working on developing the first citizen-lead energy communities in Hungary. As first step SEC has established the Kazán community solar project in Budapest in cooperation with the CESCO consortium.
City of Antwerp
With over 500.000 inhabitants, Antwerp is the most populous city in Flanders, Belgium. The city is situated along the banks of the River Scheldt, connecting it to the North Sea via the Westerschelde estuary. Antwerp also boasts a deep sea port 80 km inland. The Port of Antwerp is one of the largest ports in the world. With its brand new Climate Action Plan, Antwerp is aiming to completely reduce the use of fossil fuels and become carbon neutral by 2050. For the DECIDE replicant pilot, the intention is to implement a collective solution for inhabitants living in energy poverty through either improved control or replacement of the heating system and enable it to be paid back through the energy savings.
City of Prague
Prague is the capital city of the Czech Republic, centre of Bohemia on Vltava River. It is seat of the president, parliament, government, central state bodies and one of the two high courts. Prague is a territorial, political, business, culture and initiatives centre of the Czech Republic. Prague covers area of 496 km2 with population of 1.3 million, 2.1 million inhabitants in the Prague metropolitan area. It is the historic city and monuments that attract tourists every year, making it the fifth most visited city in Europe. The Capital City of Prague adopted a resolution in 2019, in which the city voluntarily undertook to actively monitor and gradually reduce its carbon dioxide emissions. The city has thus officially declared its climate commitment to reduce CO 2 emissions by 45% by 2030.
CluBE
The Cluster of Bioeconomy and Environment of Western Macedonia (CluBE) is a non-profit company established among local actors and stakeholders of the Region of Western Macedonia, Greece. CluBE emerged since early ’00’s from the continuous collaboration of regional players during previous projects, analysing regional bioenergy and biomass potentials, the core cluster structures, and the regional innovation systems devoted to the energy sector. CluBE is developing R&D and business activities in the fields of bioeconomy, bioenergy and environment, in order to reinforce green, smart and circular economy in the region and the neighbouring area. After being legally established in February 2014 as a not-for-profit company, the cluster currently includes more than 40 quintuple helix members.
COOPÉRNICO
COOPÉRNICO is the first Portuguese renewable energy cooperative. Our mission is to engage citizens and companies in the creation of a new energetic, economic and social paradigm that benefits both society and the environment: renewable, efficient, fair and decentralized. COOPERNICO has 3 main activity areas: renewable energy production, commercialization (retail) and energy efficiency. Currently, COOPÉRNICO has over 2100 members who have already invested 1,8M€ in a total of 32 RES projects, up to 2,1MWp (so far). From 2020, COOPÉRNICO has become an electricity retailer and provides its members with green electricity. With this process – called the green energy revolution by the cooperative members - the cooperative invites everyone to engage in the creation of a more sustainable future by using green electricity in their houses or companies. The third main area of activity is energy services and energy literacy: COOPÉRNICO organizes and promotes workshops about energy savings and energy communities between its members and other interested Portuguese citizens that are willing to become smart energy consumers.
Cyprus Energy Agency
The Cyprus Energy Agency (CEA) is an independent, non-governmental, non-profit organization, founded in 2009. CEA was co-funded by the European Commission, through the Programme "Intelligent Energy for Europe" and by the Cyprus Union of Communities. CEA has become an information point for the local society, providing education and vocational training. It participates in projects in partnership with local, European and international organizations, contributing to innovation, research and sustainable development. It enhances the role of local authorities in sustainable energy planning, providing technical support for developing and implementing actions to mitigate and adapt to climate change. CEA is also an active member of the Cyprus Hub which is supported by the Institute of Innovation & Technology (EIT Climate-KIC RIS), focusing on education, networking, and the development and promotion of innovative solutions for the shaping of a low-carbon economy. Its vision is a just, inclusive, and climate-resilient Cyprus, that is governed by the principles of sustainability.
ECOPA
ECOPA’s (Energia Collettiva Palermo) vision is to support the development of energy communities (EC) in the province of Palermo by encouraging parties’ activatin. In order to produce the following common goods: energy democracy: ownership and decision-making process about energy production, supply and consumption; reduction of carbon emissions: increase renewables and decrease fossil fuels; social cohesion through empowerment and economic benefit for citizens of Palermo, Sicily; and explain the energy transition in a simple way. Next to direct consultancy services, ECOPA aims to provide capacity building around EC for its members and build an open source knowledge platform with a step-by-step guide on how to build an EC from scratch with united knowledge of regional and national experts. All activities are rooted in a deep human-centric approach with sustainability at its core.
Klimaan
Klimaan is an emerging collective action initiative in “Rivierenland”, the region around the city of Mechelen in Flanders, Belgium. Klimaan collaborates with local authorities and other associations in Mechelen and the surrounding area. Klimaan is one family, but actually consists of two organisations. Klimaan vzw is a non-profit organisation of 230 volunteers that strive for a climate neutral society and focusses on awareness raising and positive actions. Klimaan cvso is an emerging energy cooperative with 800 shareholders and member of RESCOOP Flanders and RESCOOP-EU. Key activities include cooperative PV-installations on public buildings, a group purchase of PV-panels and energy advice to community groups with an energy savings kit.
KM0 Energy
KM0 Energy is a renewable energy developer and energy services company based in the north-east of Spain.
KM0 Energy has recently been working with several Catalan municipalities, regional agencies and citizen associations on the design and deployment of new local energy communities. For the DECIDE replicant pilot, KM0 Energy in collaboration with the municipality of Vila-rodona, will promote a lighthouse project that can serve as a model for developing new Local Energy Communities, by analysing and testing technical, legal, economic and participatory issues involved in the development of these new entities.
Local Energy
Local energy is a small non-profit association based in Anzi a little city in the province of Potenza, south Italy.
Local energy promotes opportunities linked to the development of energy communities and has already involved five municipalities: Anzi, Brindisi di Montagna, Laurenzana, Trivigno and Tursi. Their main goal is to create the best conditions to ensure that the energy transition becomes an opportunity for these territories and for the people who live it.
Numbat
Numbat GmbH develops, produces and operates the world’s most sustainable, environmentally friendly multi-lifecycle battery storage system. Combined in one solution, our product consists of a stationary power storage and fast charging station. Numbat GmbH is a fast growing Cleantech-StartUp that was founded in Kempten in Germany in February 2021. The company has a rapidly growing headcount of 6 and numerous students. Our goal is to build up the first nationwide sustainable fast charging infrastructure in Europe. Therefore, in the first step we plan to produce 100 numbats to be installed in Allgäu.