Project overview
Just Energy Transition for Central Europe
With increasing energy prices, social aspects of the green energy transition have moved into focus. There is broad consensus that the transition has to be just and fair. Ideally, future energy policies and investments are co-created with citizens. The JETforCE project helped regions to better involve their citizens digitally. The partnership tested and validated two novel solutions for digital citizen engagement in policy-making and to evaluated technologies through a "just transition lense".
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2,37m €
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Project Budget
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80%
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of the Budget is funded by ERDF
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9
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Countries
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11
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Regions
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12
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Partners
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2
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Pilots
Duration
Start date
End date
Project progress
About the project
JETforCE supported a just energy transition across central Europe by developing practical solutions that help regions address the social and economic challenges of the transition to climate neutrality. Working together, project partners developed and tested tools, strategies and recommendations to strengthen citizen engagement, support evidence-based decision-making and build regional capacity. Today, these resources remain freely available to help public authorities, energy agencies, education providers and other stakeholders plan and implement a fair and inclusive energy transition.
Project partnership
Project partners
Lead partner
BORA 94 Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County Development Agency Nonprofit LLC
Project partner
Executive
Total partner budget
254,800 €
Total partner budget
206,640 €
Economic Development Department
Total partner budget
180,600 €
Energy Agency of the district of Bautzen
Total partner budget
221,760 €
Total partner budget
161,700 €
Total partner budget
254,646 €
Total partner budget
172,172 €
Department of International Cooperation/Division of Innovation
Total partner budget
175,420 €
Department of Regional Policy
Total partner budget
159,960 €
Total partner budget
84,000 €
Total partner budget
245,857 €
Roadmap
1
The challenge: Delivering a Just Energy Transition
Regions across central Europe are facing the challenge of delivering the energy transition while ensuring that its social and economic impacts are shared fairly. Public authorities must balance climate objectives with the needs of communities, ensuring that no one is left behind.
A just energy transition therefore requires more than new technologies. It also depends on informed decision-making, meaningful stakeholder participation and the capacity to plan and implement solutions that respond to local needs.
2
Bringing stakeholders together
Workshop participants visit the Power2Change exhibition hosted at the meeting place and have open conversations about multiple aspects of the energy transition process, both technological and social.
JETforCE brought together public authorities, energy agencies, research organisations, businesses and citizens from nine regions across central Europe to exchange knowledge and develop practical solutions. Through local and transnational Just Energy Transition Alliances, stakeholders collaborated to identify regional challenges, share experiences and shape the project's activities.
This collaborative approach ensured that the project's solutions reflected different territorial contexts and could be adapted beyond the partner regions.
3
Developing digital solutions
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Working with regional stakeholders, JETforCE developed two complementary digital tools to support different aspects of the just energy transition.
The Challenges Mapping Tool helps public authorities engage citizens by collecting local knowledge, identifying challenges and supporting transparent dialogue around energy transition initiatives.
The Technology Evaluation Tool helps decision-makers assess energy technologies and investments by considering technical, environmental, economic and social aspects, supporting more balanced and evidence-based decisions.
Together, these tools help regions combine citizen participation with informed planning.
4
Testing the solutions
To ensure that the tools could be applied in different regional contexts, JETforCE tested them through two transnational pilots.
The first pilot focused on citizen engagement, using the Challenges Mapping Tool to identify local challenges and gather feedback from communities.
Building on these results, the second pilot validated the Technology Evaluation Tool through regional case studies, demonstrating how it can support the assessment of energy technologies and investments from a just transition perspective.
The experience gained through both pilots helped refine the tools and demonstrated their practical value for regions across central Europe.
5
Building capacity
Developing digital tools was only part of the solution. JETforCE also strengthened the capacity of public authorities and regional stakeholders to apply the project's methods in their daily work.
The Capacity Enhancing Toolkit provides practical guidance, training materials and resources to support stakeholder engagement, technology assessment and the implementation of just energy transition approaches. It helps organisations build the knowledge and skills needed to use the JETforCE tools effectively and adapt them to their own regional context.
6
Turning knowledge into action
The experience gained through stakeholder engagement, digital tools and transnational pilots was brought together in the JETforCE Strategy and Action Plans.
These resources provide practical guidance for public authorities and stakeholders, combining strategic recommendations with regional examples and concrete actions to support a fair and inclusive energy transition. They can be adapted and applied by other regions facing similar challenges.
7
Lasting impact
Although JETforCE has concluded, its tools, strategies and guidance remain available through this website. Together, they provide practical resources for public authorities, energy agencies, education providers and other organisations working to support a just energy transition across central Europe and beyond.
Explore the Outputs section to access the project's tools, publications and guidance.
News
Events
Pilot actions
Outputs
JETforCe project partners distributing and promoting JETforCE project in Lodz Conference.
Joint Strategy for Stakeholder Engagement in Just Energy Transition
The Joint Strategy for Stakeholder Engagement in Just Energy Transition provides practical guidance for engaging stakeholders and strengthening capacity to support a fair and inclusive energy transition. Developed through JETforCE, the strategy brings together methodologies, good practices and recommendations to help public authorities and regional stakeholders involve citizens, address the needs of vulnerable groups and adapt engagement approaches to different regional contexts.
The strategy is complemented by digital tools and practical resources that support transparent decision-making, collaboration and knowledge sharing. It is intended for public authorities, energy agencies and other organisations seeking to strengthen stakeholder participation and build the capacity needed to deliver a just energy transition.
Type of output: Strategies and action plans
JETforCE Challenges Mapping Tool
The JETforCE Challenges Mapping Tool is a web-based application that supports citizen participation in the just energy transition. It enables citizens to identify and report local challenges, assess climate and energy transition initiatives, and provide feedback on their potential social and environmental impacts, particularly for vulnerable communities.
Tested across participating regions, the tool helps public authorities and other stakeholders gather local insights, strengthen dialogue with citizens and support more inclusive, evidence-based decision-making.
Type of output: Solutions
- JETforCE Challenge Mapping Tool User Manual
- JETforCE Challenges Mapping Tool
- How to Use the JETforCE Challenges Mapping Tool
JETforCE solution for digital technology evaluation through a Just Energy Transition lens
The JETforCE Technology Evaluation Tool is a web-based application that helps users assess energy technologies and investment options from a just energy transition perspective. It supports evidence-based decision-making by evaluating technologies based on energy performance, costs, environmental impacts and social considerations.
Designed for public authorities, energy agencies and other stakeholders, the tool can be applied to a wide range of energy solutions, including renewable energy technologies, smart devices and digital applications. For detailed guidance on using the tool, please refer to the accompanying "User Manual" and "Understanding Your Score" guides.
Type of output: Solutions
- JETforCE Technology Evaluation Tool Understanding Your Score
- JETforCE Technology Evaluation Tool User Manual (March 2026)
- JETforCE “Technology evaluation through a Just Energy Transition lens” Tool (Version 4.0)
Capacity Enhancing Toolkit for JETforCE Digital Solutions
The "Capacity Enhancing Toolkit for JETforCE Digital Solutions" is an online repository and manual containing JETforCE capacity enhancing resources and guidelines for application of both digital tools (i.e., the Digital Challenge Mapping Tool & the Technology Evaluation Tool). It includes compiled lessons learned from the JETforCE project on how to ensure access of all citizens, including vulnerable ones.
Type of output: Strategies and action plans
View solution
Interreg Central Europe JETforCE project, BORA 94 Nonprofit Kft., convened with members of the Just Energy Transition Alliance (JETA)
JETforCE Strategy and Action Plans for Just Energy Transition in Central Europe
The JETforCE Strategy and accompanying action plans provide a practical framework to support a just energy transition across central Europe. They combine strategic guidance with concrete regional actions to help public authorities and stakeholders strengthen citizen engagement, build capacity and support the uptake of innovative energy solutions.
Here you can access the JETforCE Strategy and Toolkit, which brings together the project's digital tools and practical resources, as well as a catalogue of regional action plans developed and tested by project partners. Together, these resources offer practical recommendations and examples that can be adapted by other regions planning a fair, inclusive and sustainable energy transition.
Type of output: Strategies and action plans
Project videos
Project documents
Newsletters
Media Press Releases
“Introducing the JETforCE Project” Press Release
Fostering just energy transition in Central Europe – the JETforCE cooperation
10 May 2023
JETforCE
The project lead partner is responsible for the content of this project website.
Project on social media
Project contact
Katalin Szabó-Havasi
Email: szabo-havasi.katalin@mfu.hu