The HERCULES-CE project, approved within the framework of the Interreg Central Europe programme and covering the Central European geographical area, aims to promote the creation of new energy communities (CERs) and to improve the performance of existing ones, tackling the phenomenon of energy poverty.Energy transition and access to renewable energy sources, with significant infrastructure investment costs, can be "mitigated" if citizens and SMEs are involved in energy-sharing communities, saving on the costs necessary to produce renewable energy and to build the infrastructure needed to establish CERs (Renewable Energy Communities).

To achieve these objectives, the partnership of actors and institutions involved from Italy, Hungary, Croatia, Poland, Germany, Austria and the Czech Republic will combine their skills and experience to implement the following actions:

• Analysis and identification of elements that will allow the definition of a central European strategy and action plan. This action will constitute a very important part of the project, which will be based on innovative participative methods and the collection of concrete data to assess and improve the performance of existing CERs.
• Creation of new CERs, with technical and regulatory characteristics that meet the needs of each territory involved in the partnership, with possible replicability of the models
• Improvement of the performance of existing CERs by studying their technical, legal and social aspects and business models.
• Actions to combat energy poverty in the various territories involved.
• Creation of a transnational cooperation network to share know-how and good practices aimed at facilitating energy transition towards more sustainable economic models.

Expected results:

• A strategy and action plan at the Central-European level that can guide and support authorities and actors engaged and operating in the energy field, to create or improve CERs, with innovative and effective approaches, new business models and innovative methodologies for involving public authorities, agencies and citizens.
• Inter-national cooperation between organisations involved in HERCULES-CE, beyond the project duration with future perspectives for collaboration.
• Guidelines for improving the energy performance and sustainability of existing CERs, considering pilot actions in CERs in Germany, Hungary and Poland.
• Guidelines for reducing the environmental impact of CERs and their contribution to energy poverty based on the results of pilot actions in Germany and Austria.
• A manual on the creation of CERs, including different options with reference to the users involved, technological solutions adopted, heating districts, etc., with concrete cases of CERs created in Italy (Emilia-Romagna Region and Veneto); Germany (Thuringia); Poland (Mazovia Region); Croatia (Istria Region); Czech Republic (in the Municipality of Hradeky Venkov).