Fast and Fair Renewables Award: Celebrating Wind Projects That Put Communities First

As Europe accelerates its renewable energy rollout, questions of fairness, inclusion, and local value are becoming just as important as speed. The Fast and Fair Renewables Award was created to recognise projects that prove these goals do not have to be in tension, and that a just energy transition can also be a fast one.

The award highlights renewable energy initiatives that embed social justice, environmental responsibility, and community participation at their root. Rather than focusing solely on megawatts installed, it rewards projects that demonstrate how cooperation between citizens, local authorities, industry, and civil society can lead to energy systems that are both efficient and broadly beneficial.

At the heart of the award, there are five shared principles: local influence, local value creation, transparency, nature positivity, and the empowerment of community-led initiatives. Together, these principles reflect a growing consensus across sectors that renewable projects must deliver tangible benefits for local communities if they are to gain long-term acceptance and legitimacy.

The first edition of the award will focus specifically on wind energy, highlighting projects that rethink how wind power is planned, built, and operated. It will be presented during the annual WindEurope conference, taking place in Madrid in April 2026.

Beyond recognition, the award aims to identify projects that can be scaled or replicated, strengthen multi-stakeholder collaboration, and help build political momentum to mainstream fast and fair principles across future renewable developments.

Applications are open to a wide range of actors, from citizen groups to industry players, provided submissions demonstrate collaboration between at least two different stakeholder types. The deadline to apply is 20 February 2026.

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Source:  EU Covenant of Mayors