Overview: 1–2 paragraphs introducing ECHO – focus on mission, goals, and EU context.
Project ID: 101185725
Programme: Horizon Europe
Duration: 1 December 2024 – 30 November 2028
EU Funding: ~€5 million
Coordinator: Yildiz Technical University (Turkey)
Website: Official page

Funded under the European Union’s Horizon Europe programme, ECHO is a four-year journey to rethink how we design and support energy communities. Spanning Türkiye, Greece and Portugal, ECHO sets out to build Excellence Hubs: locally rooted, cross-sectoral spaces where public institutions, researchers, innovators, and citizens come together to change the game of energy transition from the ground up. These hubs will become more than coordination platforms they are instruments of capacity, of trust-building, of structural change.

At a time when Europe needs both speed and fairness in its green transition, ECHO focuses on what truly makes the difference: equipping local ecosystems with the tools, networks, and autonomy to shape their own energy futures.

Describe what hubs are, how they contribute to the energy transition, and their role in Türkiye, Greece, Portugal.

Excellence Hubs are multi-actor innovation spaces that support the development and scaling of community-driven energy initiatives. Designed to fit national contexts, each hub will serve as a focal point for training, experimentation, and co-creation, bringing together universities, businesses, municipalities, and citizens.

These hubs will:

Strengthen local innovation ecosystems,

Enable testing and piloting of new energy services,

Facilitate policy uptake and cross-border learning.

ECHO aims to:

• Establish regional Excellence Hubs that enable the emergence of energy communities.
• Promote cooperation between academia, public authorities, industry, and civil society.
• Enhance knowledge and skills across the energy community value chain through targeted training.
• Launch real-life pilot projects that address energy poverty and foster citizen participation.
• Facilitate policy integration and ensure replicability across diverse local contexts.

ECHO will produce a wide range of practical and strategic outputs, including:

• Training programmes and capacity-building activities
• Innovation toolkits and methodological guides
• Case studies and documented pilot outcomes
• Policy briefs and strategic recommendations

Coming soon: Tools and publications will be made available as the project progresses.

Scientific and Technological

• Deeper understanding of inclusive energy models and social innovation
• Integration of community-led approaches in energy research

Economic

• Support for local entrepreneurship and SME involvement
• Strengthening of regional innovation ecosystems

Social

• Increased citizen agency in energy matters
• Targeted actions to reduce energy poverty

Policy

• Concrete policy input aligned with EU climate and energy priorities

Transferable models for local and regional implementation