vision. network. impact.

On October 28, 2024, the first Solar School in Kyrgyzstan was officially inaugurated as part of the ENABLING PV project. The National School-Lyceum for Innovative Technologies, named after A. Moldokulov, was equipped with with a PV system and experimental kits to provide students with hands-on experience in solar technology. A key element of the initiative was a training session for physics and German teachers, held on October 29. The session provided educators with tools and methods to integrate solar energy topics into their lessons, helping students better understand renewable energy concepts. The project was carried out in close collaboration with eclareon GmbH, ideas into energy GmbH, and EUROSOLAR Georgia and is funded by the German Federal Foreign Office. The opening of the Solar School is a significant step toward raising awareness of solar energy in the region and inspiring the younger generation to actively participate in the energy transition.

At the end of October, eclareon organised a study tour for 15 Indonesian decision-makers from business and administration on behalf of GIZ. The Indonesian delegation wants to expand its activities in the field of biomethane application and improve the regulatory framework for this in Indonesia. The aim of the trip was to promote knowledge transfer in this area and to establish contacts with German experts who can support the growth of the Indonesian biomethane sector. As Indonesia is currently seeking a path to a sustainable and economically viable biomethane market, knowledge of the possible regulatory framework, the necessary certifications and the infrastructure required for this is of fundamental importance. To transfer knowledge on these topics, the week-long programme jointly developed by GIZ and eclareon offered a deep insight into the German biomethane sector. Visits to state-of-the-art bioenergy plants with gas grid injection, accompanied by expert discussions with German government representatives and market experts, highlighted innovative and at the same time viable approaches for biomethane production in Indonesia. The most relevant findings from an Indonesian perspective about the German and European biomethane market, as well as recommendations for adapting these findings to the Indonesian context, were then compiled in a 30-page report by eclareon and the Berlin-based institute ideas into energy and sent to GIZ and the delegates to help them plan their follow-up activities.

Accelerating the deployment of renewable energy remains a high priority in the EU, but benefit sharing is essential to ensure a just transition that is broadly supported and allows the bloc to reach net zero in a politically palatable way. The political backlash from the proliferation of sustainable projects that do not benefit local people has proven to be a major obstacle to climate goals and a source of conflict between locals, project developers and states. In light of the above, eclareon, in collaboration with Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe, has launched a study on community engagement and benefit sharing in relation to renewable energy projects in mid-October 2024. The study develops an assessment framework measured through key performance indicators to evaluate the community engagement and benefit sharing policies and actions of renewable energy project developers and grid operators. We expect to complete in early-2025. As part of the project, eclareon's experts will conduct research in selected EU Member States (France, Germany, Italy, Poland, and Spain) and simultaneously assess selected community engagement plans across the EU. Finally, the project will produce research-based recommendations to guide policy-makers, regulators and project developers thereby enabling a just transition. The newly started project follows previous projects delivered with CAN Europe in 2023/2024.