PET Conference: Energizing citizen-led energy transition in the Western Balkans
The Platform for Energy Transition (PET) proudly hosted the "Strengthening Citizens' Energy – Opportunity for More Efficient Energy Transition" conference on Friday, October 25, 2024, in the lovely city of Niš, Serbia. This landmark event brought together more than 80 regional and European experts, community leaders, students, and representatives of local self-governments to discuss the crucial role of citizens in accelerating energy democratization across the Western Balkans.
Empowering citizens for a sustainable energy future
The conference highlighted how community-driven energy projects empower citizens to play an active role in local energy transitions, contributing to a sustainable and democratic energy future. Keynotes and discussions showcased real-world examples from the European Union and the Western Balkans, emphasizing the potential of citizen-led initiatives in driving both environmental progress and energy sovereignty.
Key Highlights and Takeaways
Inspiring Keynote by Rajko Leban: The conference opened with insights from Mr. Rajko Leban, Director of the Goriška Local Energy Agency (GOLEA), Slovenia. Drawing on Slovenia’s robust citizen energy initiatives, Mr. Leban talked about the challenges and ways to overcome them. He also shared valuable lessons on fostering citizen engagement in sustainable energy projects.
Mr. Rajko Leban, Director of the Goriška Local Energy Agency (GOLEA)
PET Study Presentation by Prof. Dr. Predrag Cvetković: Prof. Dr. Cvetković, PET Co-founder and Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Niš, presented PET's latest research on energy democratization in Serbia. His findings underscored the transformative potential of citizen-driven energy projects for accelerating Serbia’s energy transition.
The study explores opportunities for a systemic local approach to enhance citizen involvement in energy transition processes, extending beyond cooperative engagement to include diverse forms of citizens’ participation. It examines the roles of key actors such as local development agencies and energy management offices. Aimed at policymakers and energy professionals, the study offers insights into the capacity and mechanisms needed to accelerate energy transition and democratize energy in Serbia. Supported by the Heinrich Böll Foundation Office in Belgrade, this work promotes the advancement of Serbia’s energy transition efforts.
Prof. Dr. Predrag Cvetković, PET Co-founder and Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Niš
Dynamic panel discussion on regional collaboration: A panel of esteemed energy experts explored the pathway to democratized energy access in both EU and non-EU countries. Moderated by PET’s Director of Operations, Ms Tanja Popovicki, the panel featured Mr. Dragomir Tzanev (Bulgaria), Damir Juričić (Croatia), Mr. Aleksandar Macura (Serbia), and Ms. Iva Đinđić Ćosić (Serbia), who shared their own experiences and vision on how we can move forward in more community energy initiatives in the region. They have also presented success cases of Energy Communities of the City of Burgas and Gabrovo (Bulgaria), and the Energy Community of Northern Adriatic based in Rijeka (Croatia).
The panel discussion featured Mr. Dragomir Tzanev (Bulgaria), Mr. Damir Juričić (Croatia), Mr. Aleksandar Macura (Serbia), and Ms. Iva Đinđić Ćosić (Serbia), moderated by PET’s Director of Operations, Ms. Tanja Popovicki.
Learnings:
The discussion revealed many challenges faced during the process of ensuring the success of the citizens' energy projects in communities, emphasizing the importance of persistence and flexibility by learning and adjusting throughout the process.
Issues like communication, trust, beliefs, values, common understanding, and needs are highlighted as more important for the successful implementation of community-led energy initiatives than technical knowledge and skills.
The bits and pieces of the energy transition are there, but they need to be placed at the right spot – the puzzle should be resolved!
Building cross-regional momentum
The PET conference highlighted the crucial role of cross-border collaboration and knowledge-sharing between Slovenia, Bosnia and Hercegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, and Serbia in advancing energy democratization, with panelists and attendees underscoring the transformative potential of community-led energy in building resilient, sustainable local economies. With its impactful lineup of experts, engaging discussions, and actionable insights, the conference marks a pivotal step forward in empowering citizens to lead the energy transition across the Western Balkans.
