HELIO International is looking for partners (including municipalities) interested in developing a project to design and implement citizen boards in several European municipalities in order too balance current energy governance and promote local ecodevelopment. This project will be submitted for the 2010 grant cycle.

The structure of the energy sector, the choices linked to the energy mix and its evolution have significant impacts on the environment, the economy , society, and on the entire energy chain from suppliers to end users. While in some countries European users (stakeholders) are consulted on key issues such as new energy investments, their viewpoints are frequently superseded by supply-side actors who claim to be better informed and are usually more interested in promoting private interests rather than the public good. The result is that market deregulation and liberalisation have left numerous citizens uninformed about new supply conditions and more often than not, helpless in the face of increased electricity prices. Moreover, the unfettered supply-side bias of energy governance has been particularly detrimental to the environment locally and globally. The neglect of energy efficiency improvements and of renewable forms of energy, e.g. solar, wind, etc., which are instrumental in mitigating the greenhouse effect, is one such example.

The liberalisation of the European energy market and the increasing role of local authorities in climate change issues present an opportunity for better aligning the provision of energy services to ecodevelopment goals. For energy services to best meet the needs of consumers, such as quantity and quality of supply, reasonable cost, consultation with civil society and genuine citizens' involvement are required. This project aims:

• To inform citizens about various energy supply and energy saving options
• To identify avenues to legally empower citizens to actively and constructively participate in energy decision-making processes
• To support the development and implementation of energy efficiency and alternative energy options such as smart metering etc.

Activities: It is proposed to

• develop a framework that can be used by municipalities to ensure genuine citizen input in the energy decision-making process
• Work with several municipalities (in three different countries) to establish citizen decision-making bodies, using the framework for guidance
• Revise framework based on pilot project results
• Disseminate project results via the Covenant of Mayors and other municipal information networks

Keywords: Citizen, governance, energy efficiency, local authorities, Covenant of Mayors, sustainability, planning, stakeholders, engagement, municipalities, climate change, development, decision-making, smart metering

Contact: Laura Williamson - helio@helio-international.org