EVENT REPORT: STEER IT UP!
What: Joint event of COMPILE and RENAISSANCE projects
Were: Brussels, Belgium/online
When: 21st October 2021
Despite the uncertain times, the live event did happen and it was a success! It was organised by the COMPILE and its sister project RENAISSANCE in Brussels on October 21. STEER IT UP – Hands on Event: How tools and key results from the European projects Renaissance and Compile can help communities drive the energy transition aimed at allowing participants to test the tools developed by both projects, attend the panel discussion, get to know the practical aspects of pilot sites and informally interact with projects’ teams. 28 people participated in person and 25 online.
The morning session was dedicated to opening remarks and project introductions by Mr. Tomi Medved, PhD, (COMPILE Deputy Coordinator) and Prof. Thierry Coosemans (RENAISSANCE Coordinator). The following keynote session hosted three experts – Ms. Christine Lins (GWENT), Mr. Frederik Loeckx (Flux 50) and Mr. Achille Hannoset (DG Energy). They shared different aspects of an energy community and its importance.
The pilot site session was organised as a crossed introduction of both projects’ pilot sites. The emphasis was on the work done so far and the main milestones reached. Presentations can be found here.
The panel discussion, facilitated by Mr. Stanislas d’Herbemont from COMPILE partner REScoop.eu, touched the actual barriers to the implementation of energy communities, especially at the policy and regulatory level. It was held in a very interactive way, supported also by the audience’s answers via Sli.Do platform. The speakers were Mr. Josh Roberts (Rescoop.eu), Ms. Alix Bolle (Energy Cities) and Ms. Els van Praet (Ecopower).
The afternoon was dedicated to parallel hands-on sessions, where participants had the chance to see and test how the innovative tools developed by both projects can support the broad deployment of local energy communities. Free-roaming session was built of three tools by RENAISSANCE (MAMCA consensus building software, RENERGISE tool, RENAISSANCE platform) and two by COMPILE (HomeRule, ComPilot).
To conclude, participants and projects’ team members interacted in a plenary session that answered the remaining questions which popped out during different parts of the event.
For more information, event recording and photos visit RENAISSANCE webpage.
We would like to thank the RENAISSANCE team for the initiative and all the organisational effort. It was a pleasant and successful cooperation!
