Community of Practice – Spain

1st Community of Practice: the first Community of Practice session focused on introducing the ENTRACK project and establishing the CoP as a collaborative learning space for rural municipalities. The session began with presentations on the project’s objectives, the role of social energy plans and the importance of citizen participation and local leadership in advancing a just energy transition. An expert contribution on rural energy communities highlighted the value of education, capacity-building and cooperation in promoting sustainable energy models. Participants then took part in an interactive activity to discuss concerns related to energy prices, regulatory barriers and knowledge gaps surrounding energy communities and energy efficiency. The session concluded with an open debate on the main challenges and opportunities for achieving a fair energy transition in rural areas, emphasizing the need for supportive legal frameworks, sufficient resources and citizen empowerment.

4th Community of Practice: the fourth Community of Practice session focused on energy poverty within the updated SECAP framework, creating a space to discuss the implementation of new indicators and share municipal experiences. The session began with an overview of the reporting framework for energy poverty indicators, followed by discussions on the challenges municipalities face in collecting data and monitoring local situations. Municipal representatives shared experiences from their territories, highlighting the importance of collaboration between social services, technical experts and different municipal departments. Participants also explored tools developed to support municipalities in assessing energy poverty conditions and reporting indicators. The session concluded with a participatory activity where attendees reflected on the relevance and feasibility of different indicators, fostering dialogue on practical approaches to tackling energy poverty at the local level.

2nd Community of Practice: the second Community of Practice session focused on energy communities and created a space for sharing experiences and lessons learned from different rural initiatives. Experts presented projects related to educational, cooperative and citizen-led energy communities, highlighting challenges such as administrative complexity, funding limitations, citizen mobilization and regulatory barriers. Discussions emphasized the importance of local leadership, cooperation and public sector involvement in ensuring the success of energy communities, particularly in rural and agricultural areas. Participants also reflected on issues related to energy justice, social acceptance and surplus energy management, while exchanging practical recommendations and policy perspectives. The session concluded with presentations of initiatives supporting municipalities and vulnerable groups through renewable energy access, reinforcing the importance of community- driven solutions and institutional support for a fair energy transition.

5th Community of Practice: the fifth Community of Practice session focused on financing the energy renovation of buildings, creating a space to discuss public funding opportunities, innovative financing models and the barriers faced by municipalities, energy communities and vulnerable households. The session began with an interactive activity to explore participants’ profiles, experience and perceived barriers, with bureaucracy emerging as a key challenge. An expert presentation provided an overview of current and future funding schemes in Spain. The presentation was followed by a roundtable on practical solutions such as private loans, one-stop shops, Energy Performance Contracts and the role of energy communities in generating demand and supporting households. The session also introduced crowdlending as a participatory financing mechanism for local energy projects. A plenary discussion closed the session, where support for vulnerable households, stronger involvement from public administrations and clearer guidance through technical, financial and administrative procedures were discussed.

3rd Community of Practice: the third Community of Practice session focused on district heating networks in rural areas, providing a space to discuss different technological models, implementation experiences and common challenges. The session included presentations on geothermal and biomass-based heating systems, highlighting their potential to reduce energy dependency, improve air quality and support local economic development. Speakers shared practical experiences from municipalities and cooperatives, emphasizing the importance of using local resources and adapting solutions to the territorial context. The discussion also addressed barriers related to funding, legislation, social acceptance and demographic challenges in rural areas. The session concluded with a participatory reflection activity, allowing attendees to exchange ideas, identify common challenges and explore opportunities for collaboration around district heating initiatives.