PUBLINK Project

PUBLINK Project at the Spanish National Centre for Environmental Education (CENEAM) 🌱⚡ This month, our colleagues at Traza Consultoría took part in a conference on #Communication and Climate Change, organised by the National Centre for Environmental Education (#CENEAM), part of the Spanish Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (Ministerio para la Transición Ecológica y el Reto Demográfico) 🗣️ They presented the findings of PUBLINK’s sociological study in #Ponferrada, one of the project’s pilot sites, exploring how different social groups understand the energy transition and energy communities. The study provided the starting point for the #Workshop, where participants worked together to explore how to communicate about energy communities across diverse social contexts and how to develop messages and strategies that can engage people with different levels of proximity to energy transition narratives. Because understanding these different perspectives is key to building more inclusive and community-led energy transitions. 🤝⚡ PUBLINK Consortium Traza Consultoría FEBEA - European Federation of Ethical and Alternative Banks and Financiers Bremer Energie Konsens GmbH, Bremen Instytut Rozwoju Miast i Regionów Ayuntamiento de Ponferrada Energía JCyL EREN Miasto Siemiatycze ErdwärmeDich Anergienetze eG Dr. Uli Jakob. aconium GmbH Narodowa Agencja Poszanowania Energii S.A. (National Energy Conservation Agency) CERES Comunidades Energéticas para el Reto Ecológico y Social #PUBLINK #EnergyCommunities #EnergyTransition #LifeProgramme #LIFEProject #EULife24

🔍 𝗦𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗴𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗶𝗻 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻 When talking about the #EnergyTransition and climate change, some social groups rarely have the opportunity to share their views, experiences and concerns. That is why PUBLINK carried out sociological research to better understand different social perspectives on these issues, helping to build more inclusive #EnergyCommunities and support a fair energy transition. 🌱⚡ 📍 In Bremen, our partner Bremer Energie Konsens GmbH, Bremen organised five discussion groups with: mothers participating in labour market integration programmes, neighbourhood association members, and students, many of whom are tenants with limited incomes. 💬 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗱𝗶𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. 🗣️ The discussion with the group of mothers was particularly striking. While many strongly supported the energy transition, financial constraints often prevented them from acting on it in everyday life. 🎓 Students also shared worries about the increasing focus on nuclear energy in public debates, rather than a stronger commitment to 100% renewable energy. Meanwhile, participants at a solidarity café shared inspiring examples of community action, including receiving free balcony solar panels that help reduce their electricity bills. ☀️🏡 ✨ The discussions made one thing clear: it is essential to strive for a transition that leaves no one behind, access, affordability, participation and trust must be at the heart of the conversation. #PUBLINK #LifeProgramme #LIFEProject #EULife24 #EnergyCommunities #RenewableEnergy #EnergyTransition #PublicInnovation #SustainableDevelopment 

💡 How can local authorities lead the #EnergyTransition in a way that is truly inclusive and community-driven? 🔎 Following the first PUBLINK Project Public Roundtable in #Ponferrada, we identified the need for a dedicated #CapacityBuilding session for local authorities and stakeholders. 👥 When working across municipal departments, creating a common ground is essential. The energy transition should not be understood only through technical or engineering perspectives, but also through social perceptions, community networks, collaboration with associations and small businesses, and the legal and administrative innovation needed to make ambitious energy community projects possible. 🤝 For this reason, we organised a training session on public-private-community #Governance and participation models for solar and thermal energy communities. #LifeProgramme #LIFEProject #EULife24 #EnergyCommunities #Collaboration #PublicInnovation

📍 The PUBLINK Project will be in Toledo on 1 July for UNEF Unión Española Fotovoltaica's Course on Energy Communities and Municipal Participation. As a project focused on strengthening the role of public authorities in the energy transition, we are excited to join discussions on governance models, financing mechanisms and the role of #Municipalities in enabling energy communities. See you there! #LifeProgramme #LIFEProject #EULife24 #EnergyCommunities #EnergyTransition #PublicInnovation

🔍 Last month, our partners from Instytut Rozwoju Miast i Regionów visited #Siemiatycze, one of PUBLINK’s pilot sites, to carry out fieldwork as part of our sociological (SSH) research. With the support of the Siemiatycze municipality and other local institutions, they explored the positions, perceptions and #Imaginaries of social groups that are often more distant from the energy transition. What did the process look like? 👥 Five online focus groups were held with different groups of residents in Siemiatycze: people experiencing energy poverty, senior citizens, municipal utility employees, lower-skilled technical workers, and secondary school students. 🗣️ Responses were also collected through an online survey distributed among detached house owners. What did we find? 🧩 A layered “borderland” identity The community of Siemiatycze has developed over the centuries at the crossroads of various cultures, religions and political influences. It is a good example of a ‘borderland’, where history was not uniform, but layered. ⚡ Diverse views on energy transition Residents share a broad awareness of renewable energy, but opinions remain polarised, ranging from enthusiasm to scepticism. The most significant factors driving these differences are financial means, level of technical knowledge, and the generation to which the participant belongs.   ⚡…and What about Energy Communities?  When it comes to Energy Communities, there is low awareness around #EnergyCommunities across all groups. However, openness exists when proposals are linked to clear rules, trust and tangible economic benefits. 🏘️ Changing community ties and Intergenerational perspectives on change Perceptions of community spirit vary across groups. People experiencing #EnergyPoverty often describe the weakening of traditional social ties, while younger participants and technical workers perceive community through more everyday and practical relationships.  Older generations and lower-income groups often interpret current transitions through the lens of previous difficult social and historical changes; young people – with greater optimism. Young people are also the group that considers grassroots initiatives by local residents to be of the greatest importance in driving change in the energy sector. 🌱 💡 #LifeProgramme #LIFEProject #EULife24 #EnergyCommunities #RenewableEnergy #EnergyTransition #PublicInnovation

📢 PUBLINK's First Newsletter is out 📢 Energy Communities are an essential tool to produce, share and manage energy in more democratic and locally rooted ways. They can help strengthen #SocialCohesion, improve #EnergyAffordability and support climate-friendly energy solutions. However, many of these projects remain isolated initiatives that lack public support, governance structures and financial models needed to grow and to become part of long-term energy policy. ⚡PUBLINK aims to make Energy Communities a key component of local and regional energy policy. 🗞️ Read more on the #1 Issue of PUBLINK's newsletter: highlights, useful strategies, learn about the pilots, upcoming events and many more! 🔗 Read it here: https://lnkd.in/ec2pqXpM 🔎 Don't miss out on the next one! Subscribe here: https://lnkd.in/eRJHrE5S #LifeProgramme #LIFEProject #EULife24 #EnergyCommunities #Collaboration #PublicInnovation

⚡ The first edition of the PUBLINK Project Newsletter is arriving very soon! 🔎 In this newsletter, you will be introduced to the latest public and social innovations for #EnergyCommunities across PUBLINK's pilot sites across Europe. 📫 Haven't subscribed yet? You can do it here: https://lnkd.in/eRJHrE5S #LIFEProject #EULife24 #LifeProgramme #EnergyCommunities

🤝 Today we introduce one of our PUBLINK partners Ente Regional de la Energía de Castilla y León Energía JCyL (EREN) Energía JCyL is the public regional energy agency of Castilla y León (Spain), working to advance #EnergyEfficiency, renewable energies and sustainable mobility across the region ⚡🌱 Their work supports local authorities, SMEs and citizens through energy planning, technical advisory, funding management, training and the promotion of innovative solutions for a carbon-neutral economy. With extensive experience in renewable energy strategies, energy communities and regional energy governance, EREN plays a key role in driving sustainable energy development at local, regional and European level. The agency is also actively involved in European networks and initiatives focused on sustainable construction, bioenergy and hydrogen valleys 🌍🏘️ Within the PUBLINK Project, EREN contributes to strengthening the connection between public authorities and #EnergyCommunities by supporting knowledge exchange, policy development and long-term replication of results across territories. They are also involved in organising regional public roundtables and supporting the Ponferrada pilot, helping foster collaboration between institutions, local stakeholders and citizens to advance a fair and inclusive energy transition 🤝💡  🔗 Learn more about them here: https://lnkd.in/d2ysZi-T #LifeProgramme #LIFEProject #EULife24 #EnergyCommunities #RenewableEnergy #EnergyTransition #PublicInnovation

🤝 Today we introduce one of our PUBLINK partners CERES Comunidades Energéticas para el Reto Ecológico y Social CERES is an NGO and advisory office supporting individuals, organisations and local entities interested in creating and developing #EnergyCommunities across Spain. Their work combines technical advice, training, facilitation and community engagement to help accelerate a fair and citizen-led #EnergyTransition ⚡🏘️ Within the PUBLINK Project, CERES focuses on understanding how public authorities can better support and scale inclusive #EnergyCommunities across Europe, by identifying barriers, opportunities, governance models and the skills needed to integrate energy communities into public policymaking.They also support the Spanish pilot in Ponferrada and helps connect pioneering projects, public institutions and energy communities across territories to exchange knowledge, strengthen collaboration and replicate innovative public approaches for a just energy transition 💡👥 🔗 Learn more about CERES here: https://lnkd.in/d2nY9baj #LifeProgramme #LIFEProject #EULife24 #EnergyCommunities #Collaboration #PublicInnovation

🗣️🤝This month we held the first #PublicRoundtable in #Ponferrada (Spain). We reunited representatives from different departments of the municipality of Ponferrada (Social Services, Environment, Legal and Sustainable Mobility), as well a the Regional Government Energía JCyL (Energy and Financing), and the national state Fundación Ciudad de la Energía (CIUDEN).🤝  The session, facilitated by Traza Consultoría, enabled the development of a shared vision for the future of energy communities in Ponferrada. ⚡ 📚 First, several studies derived from the PUBLINK Project (governance, social and technical) were presented, helping to identify possible pathways. Then, a discussion took place on how to design and what should be included in a roadmap to promote energy communities in the municipality, from a cross-sectoral perspective. 🔄 Key #Takeaways from the session: Integrate the learnings and actions from the SECAP to further advance energy communities Incorporate elements such as #Employment and #Community ties to generate interest and meaning across diverse social groups💼  Address #EnergyPoverty as a distinguishing feature of publicly oriented energy communities⚖️  Explore viable and creative #Financing mechanisms to make these initiatives attractive to different groups💡  The role of the #Public sector should be to support and facilitate #Thermal energy communities, as well as to provide access to municipal rooftops for photovoltaic initiatives☀️ We will continue the work in the coming months to further define how, who, and when this set of ambitious and diverse actions will be implemented🚀 #LifeProgramme #LIFEProject #EULife24 #EnergyCommunities #Collaboration #PublicInnovation