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Power to the people: how the EU is making the green transition a citizen-led mission

The EC's new initiative puts citizens, local communities, and small organisations at the heart of the energy transition. With a human-first approach, the Citizen Energy Advisory Hub (CEAH) aims to turn sustainable energy from a political promise into a grassroots movement.

4 min read · 7 Sep 2025

Michalina Szpyrka ·

A green revolution that starts at home

Energy transition doesn’t have to be a top-down, technocratic process reserved for governments or major corporations. With the launch of the Citizen Energy Advisory Hub (CEAH), the EU is sending a clear message: you don’t have to be a policymaker to make a difference.

Designed to help the EU meet its ambitious climate goals for 2030 and 2050, CEAH shifts the focus from mega-projects to micro-level action. It’s a move from strategy rooms to living rooms — because if we want a real green transformation, it needs to involve everyone.

What is the Citizen Energy Advisory Hub?

The Hub is a three-year EU initiative that offers hands-on support to citizens, municipalities, NGOs, and small businesses. The goal? Help them save energy, cut costs, and increase the use of renewables — all while building stronger, more resilient communities.

CEAH is not just another awareness campaign. It’s part of a larger puzzle, alongside the Affordable Energy Action Plan (released earlier this year) and the upcoming Energy Package for Citizens, expected by the end of 2025.

Together, these actions show that the EU is serious about creating a fair and inclusive energy system, not just a clean one.

From EU laws to real-life change

Europe has already built an impressive legal framework for energy efficiency, renewables, and tackling energy poverty. But laws on paper aren’t enough — they need to be put into action locally.

That’s where CEAH comes in. The Hub will provide technical assistance to 120 selected community-led projects, helping them plan, grow, and scale ideas like:

Local energy cooperatives
Small-scale solar or wind installations
Battery storage and energy-sharing schemes

By making the rules of the game easier to understand — and easier to act on — the Hub connects EU-level ambition with real-life change.

Energy justice: fighting energy poverty

CEAH also puts a strong emphasis on energy poverty. Millions of Europeans still struggle to afford adequate heating or electricity — and that’s not just an energy issue, it’s a social one.

Through dedicated support for vulnerable households, the Hub aims to make sure that no one is left behind in the green transition — especially people with lower incomes, older citizens, or those living in remote areas.

Because climate justice means social justice, too.

Turning citizens into changemakers

One of the most powerful ideas behind CEAH is its people-first approach. Citizens aren’t just passive users of energy — they’re becoming producers, investors, and leaders.

Think: the local resident who sets up a solar panel on their roof. The student group that launches a campus energy-saving campaign. The young entrepreneur who builds a community-based wind farm. CEAH will support and amplify these roles through:

Local dialogue events
Knowledge-sharing networks
Simple how-to guides and toolkits

CEAH also recognises your right to be informed, to participate, and to shape decisions that affect your community — core values enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.

Accessible info, real tools

Let’s face it: EU climate policy can sound like alphabet soup. That’s why CEAH also acts as a translator — turning complex directives into clear, practical instructions anyone can follow.

The Hub will regularly publish an educational newsletter with updates, success stories, upcoming events, and case studies from across Europe. Whether you’re starting your own energy project or just curious to learn more, signing up is a great first step.

A new model of climate democracy?

At its core, CEAH is more than just an advisory centre — it’s a test case for citizen-led climate action. It signals a shift in how the European Commission sees the green transition: not as something done to people, but as something done with them.

Instead of only setting emission targets or pressuring national governments, the Commission is now investing in structures that make it easier for citizens to get involved.

This approach — rooted in co-management and participation — could be key not only to achieving climate goals, but also to rebuilding trust in the EU and its institutions.

Why young people should care

For young Europeans, the launch of CEAH is an opportunity to get involved right now. Whether you live in a city or a rural area, you have the power to be part of the change — and CEAH wants to help you do just that.

Because the energy of the future isn’t just renewable — it’s democratic.

Written by

Michalina Szpyrka

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