Boosting the clean energy transition in cities and regions

Proposals should present the concrete results which will be delivered by the activities and demonstrate how these results will contribute to the topic-specific impacts. This demonstration should include a detailed analysis of the starting point and a set of well-substantiated assumptions and establish clear causality links between the results and the expected impact.

Proposals should quantify their results and impacts using the two sets of indicators provided for the topic (below), when they are relevant for the proposed activities. They should also propose indicators which are specific to the proposed activities. Proposals are not expected to address all the listed impacts and indicators. The results and impacts should be quantified for the end of the project and for 5 years after the end of the project.

Depending on the scope, the indicators for this topic include, as relevant:

• Number of clean energy transition measures implemented (or initiated) by the end of the action.
• Financial resources dedicated or earmarked within the local/regional authority’s budget for the implementation of CET plans/strategies and specific CET measures.
• Number of heating and cooling methodologies, templates, blueprints and fossil-free strategies established through the action.
• Number of policy makers/public officers with improved capacity/skills.
• Number of public and private stakeholders engaged.
• Average number of training hours per participant in capacity building programmes.
• Number of organisational structures created/reinforced.
• Number of institutionalised dialogues/cooperations within and beyond public authorities, including peers, private stakeholders and/or civil society.
• Number of Memorandum of Understandings or similar agreements demonstrating political commitment from Local and Regional Authorities.

Proposals should also quantify their impacts related to the following common indicators for the LIFE Clean Energy Transition sub-programme:

• Primary energy savings triggered by the project in GWh/year.
• Final energy savings triggered by the project in GWh/year.
• Renewable energy generation triggered by the project (in GWh/year).
• Reduction of greenhouse gas emissions (in t CO2-eq/year).
• Investments in sustainable energy (energy efficiency and renewable energy) triggered by the project (cumulative, in million Euro).

Funding rate

Other Action Grants (OAGs) — 95%

The topic aims to support cities and regional authorities with the necessary capacity and skills to deliver and implement decarbonisation plans and strategies for the clean energy transition, which are critical for the industries, businesses and citizens in their territories.

Municipalities and regions are essential to deliver the energy transition on the ground. Their role is central to the achievement of the EU Green Deal, as recognised in the EU ‘Fit for 55’ legislative package, and in particular in the Energy Efficiency and the Renewable Energy Directives (EED and RED)^[1]. Moreover, many municipalities and regions have already set ambitious energy targets and strategies under important initiatives and frameworks, such as the EU Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy.

In view of this, proposed actions should support cities and regional authorities in developing and reinforcing the specific capacities and skills needed to deliver on the clean energy transition and to achieve the specific targets.

Proposed actions should consider complementarity and alignment with relevant initiatives, including, but not limited to the National Energy and Climate Plans, the National Building Renovation Plans and the Horizon Europe Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities Mission. In addition, other technical assistance and capacity building initiatives should also be considered.^[2]

Proposals are expected to focus on one of the two scopes established below. The scope addressed should be clearly specified in the proposal.

Scope A: Implementation of integrated decarbonisation plans

Starting from existing plans and strategies, and to enhance the leading role of the public sector on energy efficiency as described for instance in the Article 5(6) of the EED, there is a clear need to accelerate and mainstream implementation of sustainable energy measures, in coordination with key stakeholders and with particular attention to vulnerable groups. Proposals should empower cities and regional authorities to develop specific skills, approaches and know-how to decide and deliver energy measures on the ground and optimise public expenditure. The proposed activities should be place-based and cross-sector, if relevant, and may include, for instance: setting-up of relevant structures; establishing peer-to-peer approaches to share knowledge and best practices; delivering in-depth, comprehensive, and ambitious capacity building programmes that address public and private funding streams of energy measures, improving the regulatory framework, deploying clean energy transition technologies.

Scope B: Development of methodologies, templates, blueprints and strategies for the preparation of local heating and cooling plans

Decarbonising the heating and cooling sector is central to achieving the energy transition. Local and regional authorities have a key role to play alongside industries, businesses and citizens. For instance, Article 25(6) of the EED sets a specific objective to prepare local heating and cooling plans for municipalities with a population higher than 45000. In order to meet existing requirements and objectives and enable future action, cities and regional authorities need specific support. Proposals should include specific activities including, for instance, building skills, facilitating access to and integration of relevant data, developing comprehensive outlooks on energy demand and supply, fostering a gradual and timely phase-out of fossil gas, engaging market participants and distribution system operators (DSOs) responsible for network decommissioning plans^[3] accelerating administrative processes and bundling joint efforts of municipalities at regional or other appropriate governance and territorial levels.

For Scopes A and B:

Proposals should clearly identify the targeted cities and regional authorities and explain/demonstrate their involvement and political commitment, which may take multiple forms including through specific and tailored letters of support.

Proposals should develop actions and methods that can be rapidly deployed and used by cities and regional authorities and help policy makers to prioritise actions.

Proposals should also outline the scale of the financial resources needed to implement decarbonisation plans and strategies in cities and regional authorities, and by the end of the action foresee the necessary financial resources within their public budget and assess possible financing solutions to implement the clean energy transition measures.

Furthermore, proposals should foresee structured dialogues between different levels of governance and an active involvement of public and private stakeholders, including citizens, communities and local/regional industry, businesses and energy operators to ensure a social, just, and competitive transition.

Proposals must be submitted by at least 3 applicants (beneficiaries; not affiliated entities) from 3 different eligible countries.

The Commission considers that proposals requesting a contribution from the EU of up to EUR 1.75 million would allow the specific objectives to be addressed appropriately. Nonetheless, this does not preclude submission and selection of proposals requesting other amounts.

[1] The topic is also contributing to the objectives of the UN Sustainable Development Goal 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities.

[2] For instance, ManagEnergy, the EIB’s European Local Energy Assistance (ELENA) Facility, the LIFE CET Project Development Assistance (PDA), Smart Cities Marketplace and the EU City Facility.

[3] See for instance Directive (EU) 2024/1788 on common rules for the internal markets for renewable gas, natural gas and hydrogen, amending Directive (EU) 2023/1791 and repealing Directive 2009/73/EC.