The REFORMERS project has officially launched its series of online training activities designed to support energy professionals and replicators involved in Replication Valleys (RVs). Organised by EUREC, these sessions aim to provide participants with practical insights into the tools developed under Work Package 6: Energy Valleys Toolbox, supporting regions in their transition toward sustainable and resilient Energy Valleys.
The training programme includes two sessions that took place in early 2026, with the first already successfully completed on 20 January 2026, and the second held on 10 February 2026.
First Training Session: Stakeholder Engagement and Socio‑Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA)
The opening session brought together energy sector professionals from across the Replication Valleys community for an in‑depth exploration of stakeholder engagement strategies and the Socio‑Economic Impact Assessment (SEIA) tool developed under Task 6.4.
Delivered by Shary Heuninckx (VUB) and Rebecca Hueting (Deep Blue), the session guided participants through the key components required to design an effective and inclusive stakeholder engagement approach. The training focused on:
- Knowledge sharing and awareness raising
- Co‑creation of the technical design of an Energy Valley, integrating social and technical data
- Fostering inclusiveness in engagement strategies and impact assessment
Participants gained practical insights into how socio‑economic considerations can be embedded into the planning and development of Energy Valleys, ensuring that local communities, technical partners, and regional stakeholders are meaningfully involved throughout the process.
Environmental Impact Assessment Training in February
The second training session, held on 10 February 2026, focused on the Environmental Impact Assessment Tool developed by CERTH and the Replication Valley in the Region of Western Macedonia. This session introduced participants to a practical and data‑driven approach for monitoring the environmental implications of measures implemented throughout the transition toward Energy Valleys. By guiding regions in assessing emissions, resource use, and environmental pressures linked to their transformation pathways, the supports evidence‑based decision‑making and helps ensure that sustainability remains central to the development of Replication Valleys.
Having a dedicated tool to track environmental impacts is essential for understanding how transition strategies evolve over time and for ensuring that progress across Replication Valleys aligns with long‑term ecological objectives. Together with the socio‑economic and stakeholder engagement components explored in the first training, this second session reinforces the integrated nature of the Energy Valleys Toolbox and its value for regional planning. Additional training opportunities will follow, continuing to strengthen the capacity of the Replication Valleys community as the project advances.
Supporting the Replication Valleys Community
Through these training activities, REFORMERS continues to strengthen the capacity of Replication Valleys to design, assess, and implement innovative energy solutions. The Energy Valleys Toolbox provides a practical foundation for evidence‑based decision‑making, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable regional transformation.
Further materials and insights from the training sessions will be shared on the REFORMERS
website.
Save the date – REFORMERS Hybrid Public Workshop on 28 May
As part of its next General Assembly in Austria, REFORMERS will organise a hybrid public workshop aiming at:
- providing insights from other renewable energy valleys and fostering dialogue;
- – sharing experience from the Replication Valleys. More information will be provided soon on the REFORMERS communication channels.
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