WomENergy – Unlocking Gender Potential in Local Energy Initiatives
A Project by Platform for Energy Transition (PET), supported by Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung
Duration: May – December 2025
The shift towards renewable energy sources, a cornerstone of energy transition, can create unevenly distributed costs and negative social consequences. To ensure a truly successful energy transition, it's crucial to actively include marginalized groups, including women, low-income families, and other vulnerable communities. Recognizing their distinct needs and priorities and integrating them into local public policies is essential for creating social and gender-sensitive energy policies.
Examining the roles of both women and men in energy transition and local energy initiatives is crucial for addressing energy poverty, fairness, and inclusion. Serbia faces high energy poverty risks (12% household expenditure vs. EU's 4.46% in 2021), and understanding the differing vulnerabilities is key. Public policies in the energy sector, particularly within local energy community initiatives like cooperatives, must reflect and address the distinct needs of women and men.
Project Outline: This project, WomENergy, acknowledges that the diverse needs of women and men must be addressed in the development of energy policies. These considerations should be clearly reflected in initiatives that democratize and develop the energy sector, such as local energy communities and cooperatives.
Project Purpose: The WomENergy project strives to deepen the understanding of social and gender aspects within energy democratization. Our aim is to increase the engagement of women in shaping and implementing energy policies at the local level, enhance their knowledge, and empower them to actively champion local community energy initiatives throughout Serbia.
Photo by Pea on Unsplash
Key Activities:
Gender Analysis of Energy Initiatives: We will conduct a thorough gender analysis of existing energy initiatives in Serbia. This will involve understanding the experiences and needs of both female and male members, identifying their motivations for participation, and determining the support required for more inclusive engagement.
Customized Seminar for Women Leaders: A tailored two-day seminar will be organized for women leaders. This seminar will focus on enhancing their understanding of the technical, economic, environmental, gender, and energy poverty dimensions of local citizen energy initiatives, as well as their benefits.
Study on Social and Gender Aspects of Citizen Energy Development: The project will culminate in a comprehensive study on the social and gender aspects of citizens’ energy community development. This study will aim to clarify how economic benefits are distributed across communities and countries and provide an overview of the formal and informal dynamics influencing actors in the energy transition. Crucially, it will offer policy recommendations for effectively integrating social and gender considerations into energy community initiatives and projects.
Through these activities, WomENergy seeks to foster a more inclusive, equitable, and sustainable energy future for Serbia by understanding and addressing the diverse needs within communities.