akaryon has been involved in the development of digital tools and platforms for energy communities for many years. The latest project, Energy Communities Facility, is currently accepting energy project submissions as part of a call open until September 30, 2025. Meanwhile, in the ongoing project Energy WITH Spirit, an ESG reporting tool for energy communities is currently in development. Another important date is coming up: a webinar on the topic is scheduled for September 24, 2025.
1st Call Energy Communities Facility – Support for energy community business plans
The Energy Communities Facility project was launched in September 2024. Through a digital platform, two calls will distribute a total of €7 million to at least 140 energy communities across Europe. The goal is to support the development and implementation of business plans for renewable energy projects.
The first call is already open: Until September 30, 2025, citizens can apply for grants of €45,000 per project for community-led energy projects in EU Member States, Iceland, Moldova, North Macedonia, and Ukraine. In addition to funding, successful applicants will gain access to a capacity-building programme and peer-to-peer exchange. A total of 73 projects will be selected for funding.
The project is funded by the European Union under the LIFE programme and builds on earlier initiatives such as the Energy Communities Repository and Rural Energy Communities Advisory Hub. It is coordinated by REScoop.eu, the European federation of energy communities. akaryon is responsible for developing the project website and the digital platform used for applications and grant management: energycommunitiesfacility.eu. The platform also provides resources on best practices and legal frameworks.
Other project partners include Energy Cities, FEDARENE, GNE Finance, Ecorys, and Ricardo. A network of 29 national experts supports local implementation.
Funded by the European Union under the Life programme. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency (CINEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Energy WITH Spirit – ESG reporting tool for energy communities in development + webinar in September 2025
Since March 2023, akaryon, a specialist in software for sustainability management and reporting, has been contributing its ESG expertise to another energy communities project:
The project Energy WITH Spirit supports the inclusion of vulnerable groups in the energy transition. Energy communities that share 10% of their sustainably generated energy or profits with socially disadvantaged households are seen as a key instrument.
akaryon’s ESG-Cockpit, a digital tool for sustainability management and reporting, is the perfect match for this approach. As part of the project, a user-friendly and technically sound ESG reporting tool tailored to the needs of energy communities is being developed.
A webinar is planned for September 24, 2025 at 17:30 CET, focusing on one central question: What do energy community managers need to know about sustainability reporting? Further details will be announced soon.
The project is funded by the “Lighthouses for Resilient Cities 2040” programme within the Smart Cities initiative of the Austrian Climate and Energy Fund. Project lead is B-NK – Büro für nachhaltige Kompetenz. akaryon contributes ESG expertise, experience from EU energy community projects, and its flagship software ESG-Cockpit.
