Empowering Sustainable Thermal Communities: ConnectHeat Webinar Series

The ConnectHeat project hosted a series of three EU-level webinars to promote community energy solutions in the Heating and Cooling sector, aiming to inspire replication of successful projects across Europe. These sessions focused on creating sustainable, inclusive, and innovative thermal energy communities.

Session 1: Thermal Communities and Citizen-Led Initiatives
On September 24, ConnectHeat, in collaboration with BUILD UP, launched the series by exploring the role of thermal communities in sustainable buildings. Topics included EU policy frameworks, renewable energy models, and ConnectHeat’s pilot projects aligned with the Renewable Energy Directive (RED III). Speakers included Riccardo Battisti (Ambiente Italia), Aurore Dudka (University of Trento), and Magdalena Berberich & Asma Sohail (Solites).

Session 2: Community Engagement in Heating Projects
On October 31, the second session focused on governance, financing, and building trust in thermal communities. Speakers included Per Alex Sørensen (PlanEnergi), Gabbriel Lopez-Martinez Fortun (ITC Canarias), and Nicolas Lepin (ERE43), who shared insights on community-driven models in Denmark, Gran Canaria, and France.

Session 3: Financing Thermal Communities
The final webinar on November 13 highlighted financial strategies for thermal communities. Speakers included Felix Kriedemann (REScoop.eu), Els Ghyselen (Leiedal), and Roger Hackstock (Austria Solar), who discussed financing models, Belgium’s 5th-generation district heating, and public participation in solar projects.

The series offered practical tools and strategies for advancing thermal energy communities, with a continued focus on building inclusive and sustainable solutions across Europe.