Project number:

LIFE24-CET-LEEAN-CET/101214119

 

Duration of the project:

1. 6. 2025. – 31. 5. 2028.

 

Total value:

1,592,165 €

 

EU contribution:

1,512,557 €

 

Coordinating beneficiary:

Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect (Bulgaria)

 

Partners:

Hrvoje Požar Energy Institute (Croatia), Eko-sustav d.o.o. (Croatia), Österreichische Energieagentur – Austrian Energy Agency (Austria), Energieagentur Regio Freiburg Gesellschaft zur Förderung von Energiesparsystemen und Solaren Energien (Energy Agency Regio Freiburg Society for the Promotion of Energy Saving Systems and Solar Energies) (Germany), Alternatives pour l’Energie, les Energies Renouvelables et l’Environnement (Alternatives for Energy, Renewable Energies and the Environment) (France), Imro-Ddkk Kornyezetvedelmi Nonprofit Kft (Imro-Ddkk Environmental Protection Non-profit Ltd.) (Hungary), Zavod Energetska Agencija za Savinjsko Salesko in Korosko (Energy Agency of Savinjsko, Šaleško and Koroško) (Slovenia), Voluntary Association of Local Self-Government Bodies Energy Efficient Cities of Ukraine (Ukraine), Zdruzenie za Humano Domuvanje Habitat-Makedonija Skopje (Association for Humane Housing Habitat-Macedonia Skopje) (North Macedonia)

 

Project description:

The LEEAN-CET project aims to enhance sustainable local governance in climate and energy sectors across Central and Southeast Europe by implementing the European Energy Award (eea) in Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Croatia, Hungary, Slovenia, and Ukraine. By systematically applying the eea methodology, the project will equip local and regional authorities with the tools, capacity, and organizational structures needed to design and implement clean energy transition plans. LEEAN-CET will address the specific challenges faced by small and medium municipalities, rural areas, and carbon-intensive regions in meeting EU Green Deal objectives. Through tailored technical assistance and capacity-building efforts to 30 pilot municipalities which have explicitly declared their intention to join, the project will train over 300 municipal experts, establish or update 30 clean energy action plans, and develop investment concepts worth at least 60 million Euro. Key outcomes of the project include the adaptation of the eea methodology to local contexts, the deployment of the eea Online Energy Management Tool, and the integration of innovative stakeholder engagement strategies. By focusing on the seven critical sectors of the eea: Spatial Planning, Municipal Buildings, Supply and Disposal, Mobility, Internal Organisation, Communication and Cooperation, and Climate Adaptation, LEEAN-CET aims to build comprehensive energy management systems that are both effective and replicable, ensuring long-term impact across the target regions. A central component of the project is the capacity building platform, offering a suite of training resources such as online courses, workshops, and best practice guides tailored to municipal needs. This platform will support the large-scale roll-out of training schemes, ensuring that local authorities continue to develop their skills even beyond the project’s duration, thereby contributing to the sustainability of clean energy actions in the region.