Around 200 community energy practitioners and experts from more than 30 countries have gathered in Jūrmala, Latvia, for the European Energy Communities Forum.
The three-day event, which starts today (5 May), will see delegates share tools and insights to advance their renewable energy projects, and explore emerging challenges and opportunities across different sessions.
Organised by REScoop.eu, the European federation of energy communities, and the Latvian Rural Forum, an organisation dedicated to strengthening rural communities and promoting civic participation in Latvia, the event aims to grow the energy democracy movement and unlock its full potential.
The co-organisers also want to highlight the potential for community energy projects in rural areas.
“European energy independence has never been more important,” said REScoop.eu president Mark Luntley. “Instead of relying on polluting fossil fuels, REScoop.eu is supporting the development of networks of decentralised, locally owned and democratically managed green energy generation.
“By putting citizens at the heart of Europe’s energy transition, we will ensure lower prices, more public support, and a faster uptake of the clean energy system we all need.”
Today, Kaspars Melnis, Latvia’s minister for climate and energy, will speak about the context of energy communities in the country, with the forum looking to support the development of energy communities there.
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The concept of energy communities is new to Latvia, and it was only in 2024 that the government adopted Regulation No 808 (2024) Regulations for the Registration and Operation of Energy Communities.
“Energy communities in Latvia are still at an early stage, and rural areas are full of opportunities,” said Ilvija Ašmane, climate and energy expert at the Latvian Rural Forum. “We clearly see a growing willingness among rural residents to cooperate, take ownership, and develop local energy solutions – laying the foundation for resilient, community-driven energy systems.”
The forum will also include the official launch of the second call for proposals of the European Energy Communities Facility, an initiative that aims to support at least 140 emerging energy communities across Europe through funding and capacity building.
The call for proposals will offer 71 energy communities the opportunity to receive a €45,000 grant to develop a business plan for their project.
The event is funded by the European Climate Foundation and supported by the Heinrich Böll Foundation, and the German Federal Environmental Foundation (DBU).
