vision. network. impact.

eclareon is pleased to announce the completion of another EU-wide project on the authorisation of renewable energy projects. The project, commissioned by DG ENER, aimed to monitor the implementation of the EC Guidelines and Recommendation on accelerating permitting procedures for renewable energy. As complex national permitting procedures often delay project development, the initiative focused on evaluating the implementation of non-binding EU legislation and identifying key barriers and measures to speed up permitting procedures. Together with Viegand Maagøe (formerly COWI) and Prognos, eclareon spent the last 22 months analysing national administrative procedures in the EU-27 Member States and developing actionable recommendations to improve regulatory efficiency and support a faster transition to renewable energy. The assignment included three rounds of monitoring involving extensive desk research and deep-dive expert interviews, the organisation of a series of meetings of the Informal Expert Group on Accelerating Permitting, and a final stakeholder event. The initiative culminated in a comprehensive document providing guidance to stakeholders, mainly from the solar, onshore and offshore wind and battery storage industries. For more details, see the Final Report and the 2024 Recommendation and guidance on speeding up permit-granting for renewable energy and related infrastructure projects.

eclareon is pleased to announce the completion of the Act!onHeat project, an ambitious initiative to accelerate strategic planning for heating and cooling (H&C) across Europe. With H&C accounting for almost half of Europe's total energy demand and 75% still dependent on fossil fuels, Act!onHeat focused on identifying success factors for effective H&C plans, developing workflows using open source tools, and issuing 21 actionable recommendations for planning, implementation, financing and policy. As part of the project, eclareon led the development of financial pre-feasibility studies, evaluated the Act!onHeat support facility and provided best practice case studies. Together with our partners, we supported 120 municipalities in advancing their H&C strategies, facilitated 30 pre-feasibility studies and helped develop financing options for 15 emerging projects. The initiative culminated in a final conference - "Make your Digital Sprint in Heating and Cooling", held in Brussels in November 2024 - where experts, policy makers and practitioners gathered to share knowledge and network. For more details, please consult the Local Replication Roadmap and eclareon's insights from the financial studies. The Final Report of the project is accessible through the following link.

eclareon, in partnership with the Slovak Association of Photovoltaic Industry and RES (SAPI), has released a landmark study forecasting that Slovakia’s renewable energy sector could require as many as 77,000 skilled employees by 2030. If the country accelerates heat pump deployment beyond current projections, however, the number could rise to an estimated 121,000 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions. These figures stem from an in-depth analysis of three key technologies—solar PV, onshore wind, and heat pumps—across three developmental scenarios: business-as-usual, the Draft Update of the National Energy and Climate Plan, and a net-zero pathway targeting carbon neutrality by 2050. Under the Draft Update NECP scenario alone, the study predicts around 50,000 FTE jobs, led by heat pumps (43%), with onshore wind and solar PV splitting the remaining 57%. The business-as-usual scenario, meanwhile, anticipates over 53,000 positions, dominated by heat pumps (82%). By contrast, the net-zero path envisions 77,000 FTE jobs, mostly from solar PV (65%) and onshore wind (35%), but this calculation does not yet include additional heat pump potential. Should heat pump deployment scale up at even the business-as-usual rate under the net-zero scenario, total employment could reach the 121,000 mark. The study combines an employment factor model and an input-output model, integrating both secondary sources and unique primary data collected through online business surveys and expert interviews. According to eclareon’s analysis, despite 2023 having been designated the European Year of Skills, Slovakia’s education system still struggles to align with the specialized requirements of green jobs. Many companies in the renewables sector face a mismatch between the STEM skills they need and the existing labor force, pointing to a critical need for expanded technical training, interdisciplinary curricula, and hands-on industry partnerships. To discuss these findings and explore actionable solutions, a high-level, invitation-only event was held on 29 October 2024 at the European Commission Representation in Bratislava. In attendance were national policymakers and representatives of major energy firms seeking to bridge the gap between the country’s labor supply and its rapidly evolving green energy sector. Presenting on behalf of eclareon were Vlad Surdea-Hernea (Project Manager) and Ulf Lohse (Senior Consultant), who outlined how Slovak industry and the government can collaborate to maximize the environmental and socio-economic benefits of renewables. The full study, containing detailed methodology and scenario breakdowns, can be accessed at: Green Jobs in Slovakia (PDF).