On 24 June 2025, the ConnectHeat project hosted a new capacity-building webinar titled “The Warmth of Cooperation: Heating and Cooling Communities for Central and Eastern Europe”. The session explored how local stakeholders in Central and Eastern Europe can come together to collectively plan, finance, and manage sustainable thermal energy communities tailored to their needs.
Moderated by Loïc Cobut from FEDARENE, the event opened with an introduction by Riccardo Battisti (Ambiente Italia), who clarified what constitutes a heating and cooling community and why it represents a promising approach to accelerating the local energy transition. This was followed by two compelling case studies: Asma Sohail from Solites shared a German perspective on renewable heat integration, while Dominiek Vandewiele from Leiedal presented lessons from Flanders, highlighting how local energy communities can take shape in different regional contexts.
The session then turned to the tools and frameworks enabling these initiatives. Chiara Lazzari (Ambiente Italia) introduced practical instruments designed to support the development of H&C communities. Attention then shifted to the ESCALATE project, with Bartosz Witkowski and Cezary Molski (Mazovia Energy Agency) presenting how it contributes to local heating and cooling planning through both technical guidance and community engagement strategies. The event concluded with an interactive Q&A, allowing for further exchange among participants and speakers.
If you missed the live session, you can access the full webinar recording and presentation slides below.
Watch the recording below:
