The IRENA Coalition for Action Community Energy Working Group and the EU Community Power Coalition are pleased to present a first joint webinar on “Financing Community Energy - Unlocking the Finance Needed to Speed Up Renewables Development in Europe” on April 15th, 12:00 to 1:30 CEST.

This webinar aims at defining and sharing concrete finance needs of community energy projects in Europe. By providing insights into recent research on the role of community energy as a driver of a green energy transition in Europe as well as how and under which conditions community energy projects can be financed, this virtual event will provide a space of informed exchange and an interactive dialogue. Key actors, such as political decision makers, civil society and practitioners, European investment and cooperative banks as well as energy experts are invited to participate in this cross-cutting event and share their experiences, needs and expertise to create common ground for future developments.

Europe faces the challenge to create a reliant and sustainable energy supply across the continent and to deal with the effects of the COVID19 pandemic, climate change and environmental degradation on the currently existing energy system and their socio-economic implications. Community energy, as a model of energy supply being owned and run by cooperatives and communities, has the potential to speed up the development of renewable energy deployment and therefore the green energy transition, to build ownership among the people by reaping benefits locally and to create opportunities and energy security through decentralised energy production. Building on the current momentum of climate action and the green energy transition, this webinar will discuss how to create a favourable environment for community energy financing, including enabling legislative and regulatory frameworks and policy guidelines.

Agenda

  • Welcome & Introduction
    Daan Creupelandt, REScoop.eu coordinator and member of the EU Community Power Coalition (Moderation)
    Stefan Gsänger, Chair of the IRENA CfA Community Energy working Group
  • Community Energy and the Energy Transition
    Rabia Ferroukhi, Director Knowledge, Policy and Finance Centre, IRENA
  • Solutions to financing community power in Europe
    Stanislas d’Herbemont, REScoop.eu
    Anna Skowron, WFC
    Nicola Iezza, ICLEI Europe
    Molly Walsh, EU Community Power Coalition
    Laura Zöckler, board member of Heidelberger Energiegenossenschaft eG
    Lieve Jacobs, Cooperative Entrepreneurship Advisor CERA, tbc
  • Wrap-up & Closing
    Daan Creupelandt (Moderation)

For further information, please contact

Molly Walsh (Friends of the Earth Europe): molly.walsh@foeeurope.org
Naemie Dubbels (World Future Council): naemie.dubbels@worldfuturecouncil.org

IRENA Webinar