At the 2025 edition of the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), the session “Unlocking the potential of energy communities to empower citizens for an inclusive transition” showcased how energy communities are becoming powerful tools for citizen empowerment, social cohesion, and climate action at the local level.
The session brought together representatives from the European Commission (DG ENER and DG REGIO), European Climate Pact Ambassadors, and community energy pioneers to highlight progress, challenges, and support mechanisms available for energy communities across Europe. Key initiatives such as the European Energy Communities Facility and the Citizen Energy Advisory Hub were presented as cornerstones of this citizen-led energy revolution.
One of the most compelling contributions came from Ana Belén Cristóbal López, project coordinator and climate ambassador, who presented two flagship initiatives: JALON e AURORA.
🌱 JALON: community energy revitalising rural Spain
Ana Belén introduced JALON (Joining Actors for Local development of New large-scale regional energy communities), a groundbreaking project that is building one of Europe’s largest rural energy communities. The initiative engages over 5,000 citizens, 40 local authorities, and 75 companies across 87 municipalities in Spain.
With a €13 million investment, JALON is installing solar energy systems projected to generate over 23 GWh annually, cutting more than 3,400 tonnes of CO₂ emissions. But beyond the technical scope, JALON is a social innovation platform aimed at empowering rural communities, fostering local development, and tackling depopulation. Using a “learning by doing” approach, the project is co-creating practical, scalable solutions with local actors.
🌞 AURORA: urban participation and citizen science
Cristóbal López also shared insights from AURORA, a European initiative that promotes shared self-consumption and citizen science in urban environments. By using digital tools, sensors, and participatory methods, AURORA enables citizens to track their energy use, make collective decisions, and actively contribute to local decarbonisation efforts.
The project illustrates how the energy transition is not only a technical challenge but also a cultural and democratic opportunity—where citizens play a central role in shaping a sustainable future.
💬 Key takeaways
Moderated by Marine Cornelis, a justice and energy expert and host of the Energ’ Ethic podcast, the session stressed that energy communities are much more than decentralised energy systems—they are enablers of equity, inclusion, and resilience.
Speakers emphasised the need to:
- Strengthen regulatory frameworks,
- Simplify administrative procedures,
- And ensure meaningful participation—especially of women, youth, and vulnerable groups.
Ana Belén’s interventions, alongside citizen leaders from Portugal and Italy, made one thing clear: the European energy transition will only be just and effective if it is built from the ground up, with citizens at its core.
