AURA-EE applied for the 2022 edition of the EUSALP Energy Award with the local and citizen energy network "AURACLE" it coordinates.

AURACLE is a network of 65 citizen and renewable energy communities and 10 in the process of emerging which AURACLE accompanies and equips. The network mobilizes citizens and local authorities to ensure that energy transition issues are addressed by local actors.

At the regional level, AURACLE corresponds to a decentralized network approach, with the national level provided by Energie partagée (National association promoting citizen energy to all publics - in particular citizens and local authorities - and supporting citizen initiatives by all possible means including animation of regional networks), which pools tools. AURACLE ensures the animation of the ecosystem and capacity building of local players (training, webinars for the dissemination of knowledge, creation of tools...). At the local level, the network is composed of local cooperatives and support structures active in the field.

AURACLE includes the Centrales Villageoises network (the Centrales Villageoises are based on a model of territorial development of renewable energy. The values defended are local anchoring, citizen governance, link to communities, sharing of resources, local economic development, and transversal territorial issues) but is broader in scope as it includes energy communities active in biogas, wood energy, solar thermal, wind and hydro projects in addition to photovoltaic ones.

AURACLE benefits from strong regional institutional support through the Region and ADEME.

• More about AURACLE 

About the EUSALP Energy Award

The EUSALP Energy Award is an initiative of the EUSALP Action Group 9, initiated under the umbrella of the Italian EUSALP Presidency 2022. The award is financially supported by the Technical Assistance Fund of the European Commission, DG Regio.

The Alps are a sensitive environment in which the impacts of global warming are proceeding rapidly. Mountain regions are even more affected by phenomena related to climate change. The decarbonization of the energy sector through solutions that enhance energy efficiency and the roll-out of renewable energy are necessary to mitigate climate change. The geographic and structural characteristics of the Alps provide good potential to make the Alpine region a European “Model region for renewable energies and energy efficiency” as envisaged by the European Union Strategy for the Alpine Region (EUSALP) Action Plan of the European Union (EU).

The EUSALP Energy Award recognizes best practices that are contributing to the implementation of the energy transition in the Alpine area through the roll-out of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures. The energy transition can only succeed if all stakeholders participate in it, because energy can be saved everywhere!

EUSALP Energy Award 2022 Edition: Citizen activation and participation in the energy transition

The award edition 2022 honours activities and projects of citizens, municipalities, start-ups, established companies, research institutions and NGOs that give an example of citizens involvement in the local energy transition. The jury welcomes proposals in the following fields of action:

1. Communicating the energy transition and sensibilization of citizens

2. Participatory approaches to roll out energy efficiency and renewable energies on the local level

3. Innovative financing models to support the local energy transition and citizens involvement

An international experts’ jury selects the submitted projects in 2022 for the first time. The winners will be invited to an international awarding ceremony in Bolzano/Bozen on 11 October during the EUSALP Energy Conference

• Further information to be found on the EUSALP website