Niš Hosts DECA Partner Meeting to Drive Community Energy in Serbia

On October 23 and 24, the Center for Sustainable Energy Development (CORE) will host a DECA project partner meeting in Niš, gathering representatives from across Europe to discuss the advancement of community energy and its role in accelerating the energy transition. This event will highlight CORE’s commitment to democratizing energy and strengthening local capacities, with the goal of creating a sustainable energy future for Serbia and the wider region.

The DECA project, co-funded by the EU, focuses on empowering communities to actively participate in the energy transition through the acceleration of community energy initiates, renewable energy projects, and citizen-driven action. By fostering collaboration between citizens, local governments, and experts, DECA aims to build a robust framework that will enable energy communities to thrive across Serbia and the Danube region.

During the Meeting, the DECA partners will, as an unique opportunity for Learning Lab, visit the Magdon housing complex, a pioneer of community energy in Serbia. This pilot initiative features a solar power plant and electric vehicle charging stations installed for the residents of the complex. The innovative model is expected to serve as a blueprint for other residential communities across the country looking to integrate renewable energy through solar installations and EV chargers. The Magdon project exemplifies the potential of citizen-led energy initiatives to enhance energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions, setting the stage for wider adoption of green energy solutions.

The event will also serve as a joint planning session of the DECA partners aimed to ensure synergies among partners to enhance knowledge for the local and regional stakeholders by planning and align training tools related to good governance, social entrepreneurship and leadership, operational models and legal forms for community energy, as well as communicating and engaging stakeholders on community energy.