The European Commission is set to launch the next round of applications for the Support and Training for the Energy Transition (START) program on 10 January 2024. The initiative is targeted at actors in coal+ regions, with a specific emphasis on addressing local and regional aspects of energy transition.
START offers specialized, short-term aid to coal+ regions, addressing various aspects of their transition. It supports initiatives to decarbonize energy, diversify economies, and enhance social development in areas heavily impacted by the shift from fossil fuels. START addresses local knowledge gaps in strategy development, governance, stakeholder engagement, community resilience, and project assessment. It serves as a valuable tool to fill knowledge or capacity deficiencies, complementing other technical assistance and capacity-building resources.
The forthcoming round of START will prioritize assignments related to community-based renewable energy projects, energy communities, energy efficiency, capacity development, and governance mechanisms at sub-national levels, as well as repurposing local and regional assets to facilitate energy transition.
In a collaborative effort, EU and U.S. coal communities are joining forces to share experiences and innovations in support of their respective transition processes. A delegation of EU coal+ region stakeholders recently traveled to Washington, D.C., where they engaged in discussions aimed at bolstering momentum and support for the transition.
As part of the ongoing commitment to inclusivity, the Just Transition Platform and the Initiative for Coal Regions in Transition extend an invitation to all stakeholders and interested individuals from coal or carbon-intensive regions in transition. A short survey on just transition communication has been made available, and the organizations are eager to gather input from a diverse range of perspectives.
For more information about the START program, please visit https://energy.ec.europa.eu/topics/oil-gas-and-coal/eu-coal-regions/start-technical-assistance_en. The European Commission looks forward to the active participation of coal+ region actors as they continue to drive positive change in the energy landscape.
