ANEW-LIFE: Partners Outline Next Steps in Vienna to Implement and Scale Energy Solutions in Local Communities

On September 9–10, Vienna hosted the General Assembly of the international project ANEW-LIFE, with Global 100 RE Ukraine participating as a project partner. The partners reviewed interim results and established priorities for the next phase: the practical preparation of energy projects in Zhytomyr, Kalush, and Nizhyn, the identification of effective financing models, and the scaling of developed solutions.

To date, work with the three “lighthouse cities” has included over 20 consultations, the review of more than 30 project ideas, and 3 validation workshops. This effort confirmed the relevance of 6 priority energy projects.

Consequently, ANEW-LIFE is transitioning from candidate selection and validation to practical project preparation. The immediate next steps involve conducting feasibility studies, structuring project financing, and moving toward implementation. Potential funding mechanisms under consideration include Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs), ESCO/Energy Performance Contracting (EPC), loans, grants, and blended finance models.

By the end of 2027, based on the finalized feasibility studies, the project aims to launch the execution of the selected solutions—targeting at least one project per participating community.

From Pilot Projects to Scaling Up

A key task for the upcoming phase is scaling the outcomes of ANEW-LIFE. Partners will identify solutions with the highest replication potential and analyze options for adapting them across other Ukrainian municipalities and EU member states.

“It is crucial for us that the results of ANEW-LIFE extend far beyond the three pilot communities. Zhytomyr, Kalush, and Nizhyn provide an opportunity to practically navigate the path from identifying an energy need to preparing a project and securing its financing model. The next step is to turn this experience into scalable solutions that other Ukrainian communities can adopt,” stated Oleksandr Dombrovskyi, President of Global 100 RE Ukraine.

Future project activities will include performance monitoring, consolidating practical insights from the lighthouse cities, creating a solution catalog, and formulating a strategy for broader replication across Ukraine and the EU.

European Expertise and Capacity Building for Communities

As part of the Vienna event, participants visited the Bruck an der Leitha energy park, which combines multiple renewable energy technologies in practice—including wind generation, agrivoltaics, biogas, and small-scale hydropower.

A dedicated track of ANEW-LIFE focuses on knowledge transfer and capacity building for Ukrainian municipalities. By the end of 2026, a free online course covering energy efficiency, green energy, and municipal energy project financing is scheduled to launch on the EduOpen platform. Additionally, specialized training in Genoa with European project partners is planned for March 2027 to upskill key experts from the pilot communities.

ANEW-LIFE (Addressing the Needs of Clean Energy Transition Willingness of Ukrainian Cities Leveraging Innovative Financing Examples and Measures) is implemented with the financial support of the European Union under the LIFE Programme.