Reschool Finale | From Policy to Pilots – and to the Bright Future of Citizens’ Energy

Event Agenda

09:30 – 10:30 | Opening session
From collective citizen initiatives to smart energy hubs?

In the context of RESCHOOL, the opening session reviews the current state of community energy in Europe, with many communities set to evolve from collective citizen actions into smart energy hubs that are system relevant and act on local energy markets. EU as well as sector representatives will further debate how to close the gap between policy ambition and Member States implementation progress, including through the recent EU reform initiatives on Citizens Energy and European Grids.

Contributors

  • Jonathan Bonadio, Head of Policy, REScoop 

  • Achille Hannoset, Policy and Legal Officer, DG Energy – Just transition, consumers and local initiatives, European Commission
  • Joaquim Meléndez, University of Girona & RESCHOOL Project Coordinator

Moderation

Johannes Vollmer, Senior Project Officer, European Renewable Energies Federation

11:00 – 12:15 | Panel 1
Energy policy: what’s the hold-up?

This session on energy policy looks at reasons why there hasn’t, despite the many obvious as well as indirect benefits energy communities offer, been more significant deployment of community initiatives across Europe. Designed to identify major regulatory and legal bottlenecks, an expert line-up from among authorities, policy-makers, energy communities and cooperatives will explore additional policy measures and governance frameworks that are required needed support energy communities, and how successful initiatives such as the RESCHOOL pilots can be scaled up.

Contributors

  • Nazim Khiari, Council of European Energy Regulators
  • Jörgen Lööf, CEO, ElectriCITY & RESCHOOL Stockholm Pilot 
  • Oscar Ortega, Energy Transition Expert, ICLEI Local Governments for Sustainability, tbc
  • Sara Capuzzo, Director and Head of Advocacy and Innovation, Ènostra 
  • Robert Lange, Policy Advisor, European Renewable Energies Federation

Moderation

Mathieu Bourgeois, Policy & Campaigns Officer, Energy Cities

13:15 – 14:30 | Panel 2
System integration and digitalisation: Energy communities and DSOs – friends or foes?

The session highlights energy communities and energy sharing as system-level solutions that can improve grid efficiency, resilience, and affordability. Supporting the integration of renewable and local autonomy, expert panellists from RESCHOOL pilot, DSOs, and in digitalisation will showcase hardware and digital solutions that improve distribution system operation, with the objective to better understand how DSO frameworks and their implementation must further evolve, in the context of the EU Grids Package.

Contributors

  • Anastasia Skapoula, E.DSO for Smart Grids
  • Cristina Corchero, CEO, bamboo energy
  • Ramon Gallart, Director Innovation, Anell
  • Witold Krasny, Head of Products & Services, Smartgrid Digital Architectures & Business Models, Digital4Grids
  • David Plomp, Project Lead FlexCitizen, RESCHOOL pilot Amsterdam

Moderation

Joaquim Meléndez, University of Girona & RESCHOOL Project Coordinator

15:00 – 16:15 | Panel 3
Social innovation and education

The panel explores how to effectively engage citizens and local businesses in energy communities, examining motivations and barriers to active participation. Experts from science, education and civil society will reflect on lessons learnt from intergenerational learning and gamification, the role of policies that help raise awareness and get people engaged into the transition to net-zero.

Panel introduction

  • RESCHOOL engagement through gamification and intergenerational learning
  • The RESCHOOL card game – Efthimios Hamilos, Project Manager, Centre for Research & Technology Hellas
  • The RESCHOOL intergenerational learning experience – Anaïs Varo, Professor, University of Girona
  • The RESCHOOL gamification approach – Anton Belinskiy, PhD candidate, Utrecht University

Panel debate on related best practices and education policies

  • Julia Jansen, Social Scientist Energy Transition, TNO 
  • Maria Santos, Community Energy and Renewables Campaigner, Friends of the Earth
  • Liam Wegimont, Executive Director, Global Education Network Europe, tbc

Moderation

Hossein Shahrokni, Director of Research, LocalLife

Location

Register