The HERCULES-CE project officially launched in June, aiming to support the establishment and specialization of Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) across seven European countries. During the first successful online meeting, the twelve partner organizations expressed their excitement about the project’s approval and are eager to dedicate the next 30 months to advancing the community-driven energy transition and climate protection.
Many of the partners bring extensive experience from previous Interreg projects. The meeting set the foundation for strong collaboration, with the first task focused on conducting a comprehensive mapping and benchmarking of energy communities in the partner countries. This includes gathering general background information, legal frameworks, a SWOT-analysis, and an initial overview of potential pilot projects. This effort will provide a clearer understanding of the current situation and highlight both differences and similarities across the seven project countries. A first in-person project meeting is scheduled for October in Berlin, where initial analysis results will be discussed, and the next steps will be planned.