Belgium – Project-management services other than for construction work – OPERATION OF AN ADVISORY HUB FOR CITIZEN ENERGY AND PROVIDING TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE TO SUPPORT THE ENGAGEMENT OF CITIZENS IN ENERGY MARKETS

The main aim of this project is to assist citizens and their trusted intermediaries , who are looking to set up or facilitate citizen energy projects through technical, regulatory, communication and outreach, organisational, financial, and administrative advice and encourage their development. The general objectives of this contract, to be pursued in complementary way to existing data and information from any relevant sources, are: 1. The setting up and operation of a European advisory and information hub for citizens, their trusted intermediaries, and relevant stakeholders (national governments, market participants, system operators, consumer organisations), incorporating the information produced by the Energy Communities Repository and Rural Energy Community Advisory Hub. The hub will be responsible for monitoring barriers, action drivers, as well as policy frameworks and behavioural change measures relevant to citizen energy projects across Member States in light of the related provisions of the Clean Energy package, the Fit for 55 Package, the REPowerEU Package, the Governance Regulation, and the revision of the Electricity Market Design. Where relevant, social, fiscal and environmental policies and measures should also be taken into account. 2. Providing technical assistance and guidance for the successful set-up of citizen energy projects, as well as identifying, and disseminating best practices from citizen energy projects across Europe, taking into account the upscaling and replication potential in light of institutional, financial, socio-economic, political, environmental cultural and historic conditions. Beneficiaries will address all types of consumers and/or their groupings, including projects and best practices that involve vulnerable consumers or households affected by energy poverty. Best practices must provide qualitative data on social, economic (in particular financial rewards ) and environmental benefits for European citizens. 3. Collecting data on types and impacts of energy sharing schemes and other citizen energy models including energy communities through dedicated databases, organising citizens’ dialogues in selected countries and identifying nudges and boosts incentivising citizens and their trusted intermediaries to engage in the energy transition taking into account the specific context. The project will be implemented through a contractor, which will report directly to the Commission and closely cooperate with other European Commission services if necessary. The Commission may submit at least six ad hoc requests to provide research assistance to identify best practice examples of citizen energy projects and ways to enable, incentivise and support them.