THE EUROPEAN PLATFORM FOR CITIZEN INVESTMENT IN RENEWABLE ENERGY
-CITIZENERGY-
“European citizens for renewable”
THE EUROPEAN PLATFORM FOR CITIZEN INVESTMENT IN RENEWABLE ENERGY -CITIZENERGY- is a project that builds on know-how developed within the EU by different organizations and initiatives to implement citizen renewable energy projects – from cooperatives to investment intermediation – and provides them with a European dimension. Will promote synergies between projects, identify barriers to citizen investment, promote the European transfer of main business models and, most importantly, match citizen investors with new RES (renewable energy sources) projects in Europe.
The action will start with a short framework characterization followed by the creation of an European platform where citizens can identify investment opportunities in RES projects and where project promoters can engage citizens and fund their projects.
At least six community RES pilot projects, in six different EU countries, will be implemented and displayed on the aforementioned platform in a pilot stage, to better understand user experience. Impacts and transferability will then be leveraged by expanding to a total of (at least) 10 European countries, in collaboration with ongoing projects , such as REScoop 20-20-20 and Co-Power , aiming for the inclusion of at least 50 new projects on the platform and supporting the implementation of (at least) 4 new community RES projects, REScoops or crowdfunding platforms.
The project will also set up a European network of stakeholders promoting citizen RES projects, as it gathers many relevant target groups (such as citizens, citizen groups and citizen RES promoters), and key actors (such RES promoters and policy-makers).
Project’s Results
- A EU platform for citizen RES investment, connecting EU citizens with local RES project opportunities all over the EU is created, resulting in the dissemination of at least 50 new citizen RES projects, with an installed capacity of 50 MW in, at least, 10 European countries (6 in the consortium and 4 outside the consortium), within the project’s duration.
- More than 10. 000 citizens visit the Citizenergy platform and at least 6000 are lead to RES projects where they can invest, , fostering a citizen investment of at least 25M€ citizen investment in RES projects promoted in the scope of the action.
- A European level network of stakeholders for citizen investment in RES projects will be set up to promote a favorable EU framework for the creation of citizen RES projects and foster integration and synergies between key actors EU-wide. It will be composed of at least 25 members before the completion of the project that will subscribe at least 3 joint position papers on legislation under preparation at EU level.
- Main barriers to citizen engagement and investment in RES projects in at least 6 countries (DE, ES, FR, NL, PT, UK - and other countries where citizen RES projects are implemented during the leveraging stage) are identified and-recommendations towards the creation of an European framework that favours citizen engagement in community energy initiatives are developed, contributing to the ongoing demand for a common framework for citizen investment (crowdfunding), will be developed.
- A tailor-made communication plan, a practical handbook with 6 RES business models typified and a Helpdesk to support citizens and RES promoters using the CITIZENERGY platform will be developed, resulting in the direct information of at least 15 000 citizens and 100 000 visitors to project’s website and platform, and motivating key actors to promote citizen RES projects and target groups (citizens and citizen groups) to engage and make informed investment decisions.
Benefits:
The creation of a trustworthy EU level online investment platform will be a very relevant solution to filling the gap between citizen awareness of the benefits of renewable energy and participation (engagement and investment).
Consortium:
Coordinator
BOA ENERGIA LDA (BOA), Portugal (Technical Coordinator of the project)
Project's Partners
- LUMO SAS (LUMO), France
- ABUNDANCE NRG LTD (ABUNDANCE), United Kingdom
- GREEN CROWDING GMBH (GREEN)
- SOM ENERGIA SCCL (SOM), Spain
- COÖPERATIVE VERENIGING TOT COLLECTIEF BEZIT VAN WINDMOLENS “DE WINDVOGEL” BA (WIND), Netherlands
- EUROPEAN CROWDFUNDING NETWORK AISBL (ECNET), Belgium
- CITTADINANZATTIVA ONLUS / ACTIVE CITIZENSHIP NETWORK (ACTIVE), Italy
- EUROPEAN ASSOCIATION OF DEVELOPMENT AGENCIES (EURADA), Belgium
- CLIMATE ALLIANCE – KLIMA BUENDNIS – ALIANZA DEL CLIMA EV (CA), Belgium
- UNITED NATIONS DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME (UNDP), Croatia
- Q8 LDA – EUPPORTUNITTY (EUPPY), Portugal (Financial Coordinator of the project)
- UNIVERSIDADE DE SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA (USC), Spain
The Role of Active Citizenship Network
This is a project aimed at boosting citizen investment in RES projects and therefore it will specifically address questions like: What makes a citizen want to invest in an RES project? What does a citizen need to know about a project he/she wants to invest in? What are the most important factors to build citizen trust in an online platform? How about a RES project or project promoter? How relevant are other citizen’s opinions and user ratings? What should the platform’s website look like and what shall the navigation experience be? What type of follow-up from their investments, or the projects they invested in, do citizens want?
ACTIVE will be responsible for gathering the requirements of what will be a transparent platform that will promote informed decision-making investments in renewables by citizens all over the EU.
These requirements will be created, as a start, by ACTIVE and have a contribution by all consortium members.
This task also comprises building on results by other projects aimed at promoting informed decisions and citizen engagement in RES projects such as COPOWER, RESCOOP 20-20-20 and ENGAGE.
The result will be a set of requirements that assure that citizens will be informed in a clear, comprehensive and simple manner, easing the comparison of investment options, providing accurate information and transparency, sharing information adequate information about the RES project promoters and protecting the rights of small investors (i.e. guarantees, certifications, etc.).
Project's website: http://citizenergy.eu/
A factsheet on the project is available at the website of the Executive Agency for Competiveness and Innovation (EACI)
a. National events
In Italy, Cittadinanzattiva-Active Citizenship Network has presented Citizenergy project and its outputs during two relevant public events in partnership with EUROPE DIRECT:
- Giornata informativa “I finanziamenti dell’Unione europea 2014-2020 e le fonti di informazione europee” - Mentana, 9 Novembre 2016
- Giornata informativa “I finanziamenti dell’Unione europea 2014-2020 e le fonti di informazione europee” - Roma, 19 Dicembre 2016
b. Organization of institutional event at the EU Parliament
ACTIVE has been committed in the organization of this event that took place in Bruxelles 1 February 2017 at the European Parliament titled: “The engagement of citizens in sustainable energy. Sharing successful experiences across Europe”.
c. Press Articles and Clippings
- Two articles published in occasion of the final event:
- LEGA COOP (1 Feb 2017): Arriva al Parlamento Europeo l’energia pulita che viene dal basso. Coinvolgere i cittadini nell’energia sostenibile condividere le esperienze europee di successo (IT)
- DARIO TAMBURANO (31 Jan 2017): Arriva al Parlamento Europeo l’energia pulita che viene dal basso (IT)
- Two articles published in Italian within specialized Italian journals “L’Ambiente”:
- articles published in Italian and English within specialized website and Newsletter: Formez, Europe Direct (IT language), CSR360 Global Partner Network and also within the CSR360 Newsletter (EN language).
- Article published in another languages:
- ASOCIÁCIA SPOTREBITEĽSKÝCH SUBJEKTOV SLOVENSKA (3 Feb. 2017): Správa z konferencie konanej v Európskom parlamente (SK)
d. News hosted by Active Citizenship Network and Cittadinanzattiva house-organ
Active Citizenship Network and Cittadinanzattiva web pages on the project.
- Monthly Newsletter edited by Active Citizenship Network called “Active Citizenship Network News” (in EN language, more than 14.000 readers at EU and international level), as follow:
- News on Citizenergy hosted within the Italian weekly newsletter of Cittadinanzattiva called “Cittadinanzattiva Informa” (in IT language more than 24.000 readers), as follow:
Duration: 01/03/2014 – 28/02/2017
Call: Intelligent Energy Europe
For more information, please contact Mariano Votta:
The sole responsibility for the content of this deliverable lies with the authors. It does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union. Neither the EACI nor the European Commission are responsible for any use that may be made of the information contained therein.
