CIRCUS

Rural regions in Baden-Württemberg (DE), North Brabant and Gelderland (NL), Flanders (BE), Redon Agglomeration (FR), and Munster (IE) face a shared challenge: achieving energy resilience and self-sufficiency, which is vital for the EU's broader energy transition. These areas, located at the fringes of outdated electricity grids, are particularly vulnerable to energy shortages due to increasing electrification and limited grid capacity. Additionally, spatial constraints make it difficult to choose suitable energy production systems.

While EU policy offers a clear path toward establishing E-communities, fragmented policies and varying adoption rates of EU directives have led to disjointed efforts, leaving gaps in knowledge and implementation. So far, only a few innovators have pursued local renewable energy (RE) production and E-community development, supported by tools from previous projects. To expand beyond this initial group, there is a need for more accessible tools.

CIRCUS aims to adapt these tools into a transnational, accessible method, to be implemented in six rural communities across each country, leading to 30 stronger E-communities. The project will also train 150 advisors in this method. By fostering transnational cooperation, CIRCUS seeks to bridge territorial gaps, empower rural communities across the NWE area, and enhance local RE production and energy efficiency through collaboration among citizens, entrepreneurs (especially farmers), and local authorities.