Organised by the European Commission in collaboration with the European Energy Efficiency Financing Coalition and the EU Covenant of Mayors, the conference showcased successful initiatives supporting energy efficiency, renewable energy deployment, climate adaptation, and citizen-led renovation projects.

The opening plenary featured keynote contributions from Alejandro Ulzurrun, Paloma Aba Garrote, Robert Dijksterhuis, and representatives from the banking and sustainability sectors. Discussions focused on Europe’s energy security, investment mobilisation, and the importance of accelerating implementation of climate-neutral infrastructure.

Throughout the day, participants attended thematic sessions dedicated to:

financing residential and public building renovations,
mobilisation of private capital for energy projects,
energy communities and citizen participation,
municipal financing mechanisms,
energy performance contracting,
low-carbon industrial investments,
heating and cooling transition strategies,
innovative public-private partnerships.

The forum highlighted practical case studies from across Europe, including projects implemented in Belgium, Croatia, Finland, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Poland, and Bulgaria. Several initiatives presented financing tools aimed at supporting municipalities, homeowners, and local energy communities in developing bankable clean energy projects.

A strong emphasis was placed on peer-to-peer exchange between practitioners and policymakers. Organisers noted that networking and knowledge sharing remain central to scaling successful local initiatives into broader European frameworks capable of accelerating the continent’s clean energy transition.

The event concluded with a closing plenary featuring Margareta Djordjevic and other European energy leaders, followed by a networking reception aimed at strengthening cross-sector cooperation and future partnerships.

Official conference website: CETIF 2026