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
Project partnership
Project partners
Lead partner
BORA 94 Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén County Development Agency Nonprofit LLC
Project partner
Executive
Economic Development Department
Energy Agency of the district of Bautzen
Department of International Cooperation/Division of Innovation
Department of Regional Policy
Roadmap
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.
Bringing stakeholders together
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.
Developing digital solutions
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
Joint Strategy for Stakeholder Engagement in Just Energy Transition
JETforCE Challenges Mapping Tool
- 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
- 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
JETforCE Strategy and Action Plans for Just Energy Transition in Central Europe
Project videos
Project documents
Newsletters
Media Press Releases
JETforCE
The project lead partner is responsible for the content of this project website.