The goal of the LIFE-COMET project is to create a community energy coalition at the national level in the countries of Eastern Europe and support pioneering energy communities in Greece, Croatia, Romania, Hungary, Slovenia, Poland and Estonia.
This project will build national coalitions for community energy that will work to simplify procedures and create better conditions for citizens’ participation in renewable energy projects, and then conditions for the implementation of good practices that the coalitions will create. The LIFE-COMET consortium consists of 8 partners from 8 different EU member states, including cooperatives, non-governmental organizations and academic partners who are among the leaders of community energy in their country.
Key activities:
- networking – connecting stakeholders in the field of community energy for the eastern part of the EU
- capacity building – to provide the knowledge and skills needed for community energy projects
- regulatory support – transformation of regulatory frameworks for greater support for energy communities
It is expected that the project will reduce greenhouse gases by 5,864 tCO2eq per year, produce 23.6 GWh of renewable energy per year, and provide 97 energy communities support through an improved regulatory context and increased community engagement.
ZEZ’s role in the project:
- Organizing the national coalition in Croatia, which will deal with advocacy towards decision-makers for a clearer definition of the legislative framework, solving administrative obstacles and providing financial resources to support the work of energy communities.
- Leading work package 4 (Technical Assistance Programme), through which we will provide technical and advisory support to energy communities in Croatia.
- Coordinating partners (main coordinator) in the implementation of projects.
Project partners are the Green Energy Cooperative (ZEZ), REScoop.eu – European Federation of Citizens’ Energy Cooperatives (Belgium), SCE – Social Cooperative Enterprise (Greece), Tallinn University of Technology (Estonia), Economic Solidarity Center (Hungary), Fokus Association for Sustainable Development (Slovenia), Plz Spoldzielnia (Poland), Energy Cooperative (Romania).
Project website: lifecomet.rescoop.eu
Contact person and project coordinator: Erica Svetec, e-mail: erica.svetec@zez.coop

The project was financed through the LIFE Program, an EU instrument for financing activities in the field of environment, nature and climate protection, in the amount of €1,499,825, while the total value of the project is €1,578,764. The project lasts from November 1, 2023 to October 31, 2026.