Smart Energy Cluster: Expanding collaboration and impact in Europe’s energy transition
Guest/partner contributor
Posted on: 1 December 2025
The Smart Energy Cluster unites more than 30 EU-funded projects under LIFE and Horizon programmes, fostering collaboration to accelerate Europe’s clean energy transition.
The European Union has set ambitious climate and energy objectives, aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050. Meeting these targets requires coordinated action across multiple sectors.
The Smart Energy Cluster, initiated through the LIFE InEExS project and managed by EPU NTUA and IEECP, brings together diverse EU projects to break silos, strengthen collaboration and amplify results. With 31 ongoing projects and 20 completed ones, the Cluster demonstrates how collective action can accelerate the deployment of innovative energy solutions.
In 2024, the Cluster hosted a successful session at Enlit Europe in Milan, where seven pioneering projects (FORTESIE, InEExS, DigiBUILD, RESONANCE, DEDALUS, ReSCHOOL) showcased how digitalisation, demand response and citizen engagement can drive Europe’s energy transition. This year, the Cluster has built on that momentum with a new workshop at Enlit Europe 2025, featuring six innovative projects (ReSCHOOL, ENPOWER, CRETE VALLEY, SMARTeeSTORY, META BUILD, DEDALUS) that link building-level solutions with community-driven energy models and smart grid integration.
Methodology
The Cluster follows a collaborative framework built on:
- Synergies among projects: Establishing thematic links and KPIs to maximise outcomes.
- Knowledge exchange: Sharing experiences in dissemination, communication, and stakeholder engagement.
- Joint dissemination: Organising workshops, joint events, and replication activities across Europe.
- Digital tools: Using an interactive pilot map covering 25+ countries, online platforms, and social media campaigns (#SmartEnergyCluster).
- Cross-promotion strategies: Coordinating project visibility through shared websites, campaigns, and media outreach.
Results
The Cluster’s achievements highlight its growing impact:
- 51 total projects engaged, including 31 active collaborations.
- Three collaboration workshops and 12 joint events organised, connecting researchers, policymakers, and businesses.
- Two replication workshops linking projects enabling scalability and uptake.
- Pilot map across 25 countries, visualising practical applications of energy solutions.
- Over 3,000 unique users on the website, and 300 uses of #SmartEnergyCluster on social media, expanding outreach.
These results show that the Cluster is not only an information-sharing platform but also a catalyst for real-world adoption of smart, sustainable energy solutions. By fostering bilateral synergies – technical, communicational and market-oriented – the Cluster increases the visibility and uptake of EU-funded innovations.
Looking forward, the Cluster will continue to grow, ensuring lasting collaboration and impact.
Follow the Smart Energy Cluster at its website and on X and Linkedin.
About the author
Katerina Papapostolou, Electrical and Computer Engineer from NTUA, is a senior research associate and project manager at the Decision Support Systems Laboratory. She coordinates EU-funded projects on energy efficiency, management, financing and sustainability, with expertise in project management, stakeholder engagement and exploitation strategies. She has authored over 50 scientific publications.
