Satellite event: Higher Education, Schools and Energy Communities

This workshop will explore how educational establishments could become key drivers in the energy transition. It will explore how they can participate in community energy programmes by engaging their students, academic and support staff, and nearby communities. The session will highlight successful schemes that have navigated the complex legal and technical challenges that so often derail potential projects that have the power to lower energy costs, divert fossil fuel profits back into local communities and reward local investors. It will include opening remarks by DG Education, a keynote speech by DG Energy, which will outline the EU legal framework designed to support and encourage such initiatives, explore some of the challenges and meet those who have successfully overcome them. It will conclude with workshops and an expert panel to answer participants' questions.

The event will conclude with remarks from DG Clima.

Objectives

The objectives of the session are to:

• Showcase successful community energy schemes that have been developed for educational establishments, including University and School examples;
• Equip participants with a clear understanding of the challenges and solutions they will need to develop to be successful.
• Explore how community energy schemes can be successfully linked to citizen science programmes designed to reduce personal carbon footprints in line with the Paris Commission targets.
• Build a network of like-minded educational establishments prepared to work together to develop educational community energy schemes across Europe.

Full programme