CBECs – Cross-border Energy Communities Initiative: 7 Pilot Actions selected
The Cross-border Energy Communities (CBEC) initiative, launched by the European Commission and managed jointly by AEBR and the Mission Opérationnelle Transfrontalière (MOT), has reached a key milestone and we would like to congratulate all the applicants which applied to the dedicated CBEC call for proposals for their time and interesting proposals. Seven pilot actions have now been selected to develop new (quasi-)cross-border energy communities that foster citizen cooperation and accelerate the energy transition in European border regions.
Building on the Handbook for Cross-border Energy Communitiespublished by the European Commission in 2025, the CBEC initiative aims to translate guidance into concrete, local projects. Each selected pilot action will receive a €15,000 financial grant and dedicated technical support from REScoop.eu, the European Federation of Energy Communities. This support will help beneficiaries design and advance community-driven energy solutions that are locally produced, citizen-owned, and better integrated across borders.
The initiative will officially begin with a joint kick-off event on 23 February 2026, held in the presence of DG REGIO. The pilot actions will then start their 12‑month implementation period on 1 March 2026.
Throughout this period, selected pilots will benefit from tailor-made guidance, including workshops, webinars, and expertise from national specialists. Their work will be structured around the LICHT methodology developed by REScoop.eu and supported by the Commission’s Handbook to address the unique challenges of establishing energy communities in cross-border contexts.
With these seven pilot actions, CBEC takes an important step toward strengthening citizen-led energy cooperation and fostering more resilient, inclusive, and interconnected border regions.
The selected pilot actions to develop a (quasi-)cross-border energy community are:
Pilot action “Cross-Border Energy Community Kempen” by citizen energy cooperatives Campina Energie (BE) and KempenStroom (NL)
Pilot action “Power Across Borders” by Arcen Velden Lomm Energy Cooperative (NL) and Citizen Energy Cooperative Straelen (DE)
Pilot action “Energizing Borders: Building Awareness, Identifying Opportunities” by Europacity GörlitzZgorzelec GmbH (DE) and the Association for the Development of Energy Innovation STORIE and the Development Company Lower Silesia Upper Lusatia KempenStroom (PL)
Pilot action “Cross-Border Energy Community Friuli Carinzia” by Enixi SARL (AT) and JA-CE ENERGY S.R.L (IT)
Pilot action “Cross-Border Energy Community Friuli-Goriška: A Transnational Model for Sustainable Cooperation” by Moutain Hill Community (IT), RECOCER Foundation, Renewable Energy Community (IT), Goriska Local Energy Agency (SI) and the Green Technology Center, Research and Development Ltd (SI)
Pilot action “Creating a Q-CBEC in Euskal-Herria” by citizen cooperatives GoiEner (ES) and I-ENER (FR)
Pilot action “#EnergiaParaElPueblo from EfiDuero energy community” by the European cooperative society EfiDuero Energy (ES-PT)
To know more, visit the CBEC website.
