We invite representatives of initiative groups to attend strategic sessions on the formation of ‘green’ energy communities

Energy communities are groups of citizens, organisations or businesses that jointly own and manage renewable energy projects. An energy community can be established within industrial parks, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, housing associations, non-governmental organisations, and so on.

Members of such a community establish a legal entity for the production of electricity, including from renewable sources, and may engage in the distribution, supply, consumption, aggregation, and storage of energy; provide energy efficiency services or electric vehicle charging services; or provide other energy services to their members.

Currently, the status of ‘green’ energy communities is not clearly defined in Ukraine’s national legislation, which is hindering their development. This is precisely why it is important to enshrine the concept of establishing energy communities in local strategic and policy documents.

The Vinnytsia community is one of the first to fully recognise the importance of the ‘green’ transition and has identified the need to adapt local policies in line with global trends. Indeed, in 2022, the Vinnytsia City Council was the first to proclaim the ‘Vinnytsia Green Deal’, the basis for the implementation of which is the principles and foundations of the EU’s ‘European Green Deal’ initiative, adopted in 2019. Achieving climate neutrality lies at the heart of the Vinnytsia Green Deal and is its central element. Decarbonisation of the energy system, the transition to renewable energy sources (RES), and support for energy efficiency are critical to achieving the community’s climate goals.

At the same time, the war in Ukraine and the systematic shelling of the energy infrastructure highlight the need to decentralise the energy system and transition to environmentally efficient renewable energy sources. All this can be achieved through the implementation of a range of measures, including the formation of energy communities, whose activities will help to accelerate and scale up local citizens’ initiatives to implement distributed RES generation projects and create ‘green’ jobs across the Vinnytsia region.

To develop concrete solutions and a roadmap for establishing energy communities, Vinnytsia City Council, in collaboration with the Synergy Sustainable Development Agency and the Society and Environment Resource and Analytical Centre, invites initiative groups to join the strategic sessions taking place on 18 and 19 February 2025.

Business associations, healthcare facilities, educational institutions, housing associations or civil society organisations that are ready to create a ‘green’ energy community are welcome to participate. Places are limited, so to ensure the strategic session is as effective as possible, the organisers will select participants from a range of sectors.

Applications can be submitted until 12 February at 13:00 via the link

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Strategic sessions to develop a roadmap for establishing green energy communities in Vinnytsia will take place with the support of the International Renaissance Foundation as part of the project “Vinnytsia’s Green Course: From Strategy to Practice”, implemented by the Synergy Sustainable Development Agency and the Society and Environment Resource and Analytical Centre in cooperation with Vinnytsia City Council.