Event Recap: “Can Citizens Fix the Energy Mix?”
On December 11, 2024, at Kulturni centar GRAD in Belgrade, Energetska zadruga Elektropionir organized an inspiring and thought-provoking event addressing the crucial question: Can citizens actively contribute to reshaping the energy mix?
Roundtable Discussion: Local Perspectives
The evening kicked off with a roundtable discussion titled “Is Citizen Participation Necessary or Merely an Obstacle?”
Among the speakers was Tanja Popovicki, PET’s Executive Director, who shared insightful reflections on the importance of citizen involvement and role of local think-thanks, such PET, in empowering and supporting local citizens energy initiatives. She emphasized that energy communities could be a revolutionary step towards not only energy transition, but more comprehensive and thorough change of the society determined by democratic, decentralized and decarbonized energy future.
Other panelists included Vladan Šćekić, Program Director of the Center for Environmental Improvement, who highlighted the challenges of integrating citizen-led initiatives into the broader policy frameworks, and Davor Končalović, associate professor at the University of Kragujevac and a member of Elektropionir, who shared his views on strategic and technical perspectives on citizens energy initiatives and energy cooperatives.
The discussion was moderated by Ana Džokić, a key member of Elektropionir, and sparked engaging questions from the audience, reflecting the growing interest in energy solutions.
Lecture: Lessons from Greek Energy Cooperatives
The second part of the event featured a powerful lecture by Chris Vrettos, a member of Electra Energy Cooperative in Greece and a team member of REScoop.eu, the European federation of 2,500 energy cooperatives. Chris shared inspiring success stories, including the establishment of Hyperion’s 500 kWp solar power plant, which now supplies clean energy to 120 households, NGOs, and small businesses for the next 25 years.
Chris’s message was clear and urgent: “If we act as individuals, it will be too little. If we wait for governments, it will be too late. But if we act as communities, it might just be enough.” His talk underscored the potential of collective action in democratizing energy transitions in Greece and across Europe.
About the Event and Project
This event was the first in a series of five organized by Elektropionir as part of the project “Promoting Renewable Energy Sources and Energy Efficiency in Serbia,” funded by GIZ on behalf of the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany. The lecture by Chris Vrettos was organized in collaboration with the Belgrade Open School (BOŠ) and supported by the European Climate Foundation.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to Elektropionir, all the participants, speakers, and collaborators who made this event a success. Together, we can build a fair and citizen-driven energy transition.
