#EnergyDialogues in Croatia: What do citizens expect from digital energy tools?
The DIGITISE Energy Dialogues are a series of citizen engagement workshops organised across the project’s four demonstration countries – Croatia, Greece, Ireland and Spain. They provide a space for consumers and prosumers to explore DIGITISE solutions, discuss their expectations and concerns, and provide direct feedback to the project partners. In this second round, the focus moves towards hands-on interaction with the digital tools being developed, helping ensure they respond to real user needs.
On 31 August 2026, DIGITISE partner Zelena energetska zadruga (ZEZ) welcomed 25 participants in Zagreb for the second Croatian Energy Dialogue. Through live demonstrations, group discussions and interactive exercises, participants explored two DIGITISE solutions – the Flexibility Marketplace and the End-User Applications Dashboard – and shared what would make them useful in everyday life.
From dashboards to practical guidance
The discussions showed that participants see value in energy data when it is presented in a clear and useful way. Alongside graphs and detailed information, they would welcome simple summaries, personalised recommendations, timely alerts and practical tips that could support everyday energy choices and help reduce costs.
The same need for proactive guidance emerged in the interview conducted during the workshop, where the DIGITISE application was compared to the fitness apps
people already use to follow their daily activity.
Financial benefits were also a strong motivation for engaging with the tools. Participants wanted investment guidance to translate technology choices into concrete outcomes. As one prosumer explained, the application should go beyond displaying solar generation but show how investments such as adding a battery could translate into additional annual savings.
Automation on the user’s terms
Participants were almost evenly divided between full automation and manually approving flexibility requestsThis points towards a hybrid approach where users can decide how much control to delegate, set their own limits and override automated decisions whenever needed.
A similar principle emerged around AI. 58% of participants said they would trust AI-generated personalised advice, while others wanted to verify its accuracy first or remained cautious. AI was considered particularly useful for translating complex energy information into straightforward recommendations, provided these are transparent and accurate, data are appropriately protected and users retain the final decision.
Designing for real life, over time
Another important insight concerned long-term engagement. Participants acknowledged that initial interest in checking an energy application could decrease over time and expressed strong interest in smart notifications, periodic summaries and alerts about unusual consumption, potential savings or flexibility opportunities, allowing the service to provide value in the background.
Another key point raised was the risk of excluding older and digitally less-skilled users, as well as households without solar panels, batteries, EVs or smart devices. Simple interfaces, education and technical support will therefore be important alongside the technology itself. Aggregators were most frequently identified as practical operators of the tools, while energy communities, associations and public authorities were seen as important for oversight, user protection, education and trust.
The message from Zagreb goes beyond a list of requested features: citizens want digital energy services that provide clear financial value, practical guidance, simplicity and automation while keeping people in control. Their contributions will now provide valuable input for further refinement of the DIGITISE tools around real household needs and expectations.
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#EnergyDialogues in Spain: Consumer Perspectives on Digital Energy Services and the DIGITISE tools
On 16 July 2026, DIGITISE partner Voltiva Energy hosted the second edition of the project’s Energy Dialogues in Spain, welcoming 19 participants to explore the project’s End User Applications dashboard and Flexibility Marketplace.
The DIGITISE Energy Dialogues are designed as a citizen counterpart to the project’s technical discussions, creating an ongoing exchange between citizens and the consortium. Taking place across the project’s pilot sites in Spain, Greece, Ireland and Croatia, the events provide opportunities for consumers and prosumers to share their experiences, expectations and concerns about digital energy services. This dialogue helps the project understand how people perceive the energy system and what they need from the tools being developed. By incorporating their feedback throughout the development process, DIGITISE aims to refine its solutions, improve usability and ensure that technical capabilities translate into practical value for consumers.
Positive Feedback and Practical Benefits 
The workshop began with live demonstrations of the End User Applications dashboard and Flexibility Marketplace, followed by discussions and feedback collection to explore participants’ impressions, expectations and concerns. Both tools received positive feedback, with the Flexibility Marketplace achieving an overall impression score of 3.8 out of 5. Around 70% said they would use the Flexibility Marketplace two to three days per week. Financial benefits, greater control over energy consumption and increased awareness were among the main advantages identified, while the Dashboard’s Energy Optimisation & Forecasting, real-time data and historical data features were particularly valued.
Simplicity, Trust and Human Oversight
The discussions highlighted that digital energy services must provide tangible value through financial savings, convenience, clear recommendations and automation requiring little effort. Participants suggested integrating device control, personalised recommendations, notifications, savings comparisons and access to information about grants.
Trust was equally important. Participants expressed a willingness to share data provided that anonymity, transparency, security and a clear purpose were ensured. They also viewed AI-driven personalised advice positively, while emphasising the importance of human oversight and favouring AI that supports rather than replaces human decisions.
They also suggested clearer explanations of how AI is trained, where data goes and its environmental impact.
Accessibility and the Next Steps for DIGITISE
Accessibility and governance were also central to the feedback. Participants identified potential barriers for older people, visually impaired users, less tech-savvy users, tenants unable to install devices, households without historical data and those facing upfront costs. They recommended simple interfaces, accessible navigation, onboarding demonstrations and personalised experiences, Regarding management, aggregators and energy retailers were suggested for the Flexibility Marketplace, while public administration and energy retailers were considered suitable for the Dashboard, reflecting the need to combine technical expertise and scale with neutrality, accessibility and oversight.
The workshop used an online feedback tool to support active participation, and its findings will contribute to the wider synthesis of the second Energy Dialogues across DIGITISE’s four demonstration sites. By incorporating these insights into the development and validation process, DIGITISE aims to deliver digital energy services that are useful, trustworthy and accessible, enabling consumers and prosumers to participate more actively in the energy transition.
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E-NERGY Cluster heads to EUSEW 2026 to showcase citizen-centred energy innovation
The E-NERGY Cluster will be participating in the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) 2026, taking place from 9–11 June in Brussels under the theme “A clean, secure and competitive Energy Union”. Visitors will be able to meet the cluster partners at Energy Fair Stand No. 17 in the European Commission's Charlemagne Building, one of the key networking and exhibition spaces of this year's event.
Bringing citizens closer to the energy transition
The E-NERGY Cluster is a collaboration of five Horizon Europe projects: DIGITISE, DECODIT, ENERGENIUS, EU-DREAM, and CELINE. Together, these projects are working to empower consumers and communities through digital technologies that make energy information more accessible, understandable, and actionable.
The cluster was created to strengthen cooperation among projects addressing common challenges in the energy transition, including citizen engagement, digitalisation, energy flexibility, demand response, energy communities, interoperability, and data-driven decision-making. By joining forces, the projects aim to place citizens and prosumers at the centre of Europe's evolving energy system.
The name E-NERGY reflects the cluster's ambition to make energy information as easy to access and use as modern digital communication tools. Through innovative platforms, services, and engagement activities, the cluster seeks to help citizens better understand their energy consumption, participate in local energy initiatives, and contribute to a more sustainable energy future.
Discover innovative solutions at stand 17
Throughout EUSEW 2026, visitors to Stand 17 will have the opportunity to learn about the innovative solutions being developed by each project and explore how digital technologies can support a more inclusive and participatory energy transition.
Each project has prepared dedicated activities and demonstrations designed to engage visitors and showcase their latest developments.
Visitors will also have the chance to meet project representatives, exchange ideas, discover ongoing pilot activities, and learn how Horizon Europe projects are contributing to the digitalisation and decarbonisation of Europe's energy system.
Join us in Brussels
EUSEW is Europe's largest annual event dedicated to renewable energy and energy efficiency, bringing together policymakers, researchers, industry representatives, local authorities, and citizens to discuss the future of sustainable energy. The Energy Fair provides a unique opportunity to explore innovative solutions and connect directly with the organisations driving the energy transition.
If you are attending EUSEW 2026, make sure to visit the E-NERGY Cluster at Stand 17 in the Charlemagne Building and discover how five Horizon Europe projects are working together to empower citizens and communities through digital energy innovation.
We look forward to meeting you in Brussels!
Join forces with DIGITISE – the digital energy revolution is just getting started!
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DIGITISE partners meet in Zagreb to accelerate citizen-centred energy innovation
Last week, the partners of the DIGITISE project gathered in Zagreb, Croatia, for the 5th DIGITISE Plenary Meeting, marking an important milestone as the project progresses through its second year of implementation.
Reviewing progress and preparing the next phase
Over two productive days, consortium members reviewed achievements to date, assessed progress across all tasks, and aligned on the activities that will shape the next phase of the project. Discussions covered project management and coordination, requirements analysis, architecture development, data spaces and AI analytics, cross-sector services, digital twin technologies, consumer engagement tools, demonstration activities, impact assessment, stakeholder engagement, and business innovation.
Particular attention was given to the progress of the DIGITISE demonstration sites located in Greece, Spain, Ireland, and Croatia. These pilots play a central role in validating the project’s solutions in real-life environments involving citizens, consumers, prosumers, retailers, aggregators, and local energy communities. Partners shared updates on technical deployment, demonstration progress, evaluation activities, KPI monitoring, and the lessons learned so far.
The meeting also featured strategic discussions on the upcoming Energy Dialogues, stakeholder engagement activities, and communication actions designed to maximise the project's impact and ensure broad participation in the energy transition.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zlGhnzG6iHU
Advancing innovation through pilots and stakeholder engagement
DIGITISE is developing an integrated framework that combines advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence, Digital Twins, Data Spaces, distributed ledger-enabled marketplaces, interoperability solutions, and innovative cross-sector services. By bringing these technologies together, the project seeks to empower consumers and prosumers to actively participate in energy markets and flexibility services, while increasing digital literacy and fostering greater societal engagement in the energy transition.
Building a more inclusive and sustainable energy future
As the project moves towards its final stages, the consortium remains focused on delivering scalable, replicable, and user-centred solutions capable of supporting Europe's transition towards a more sustainable, inclusive, and digitally enabled energy ecosystem.
The discussions held in Zagreb demonstrated the strong commitment of all partners to transforming innovative concepts into practical tools and services that will benefit citizens and communities across Europe.
Join forces with DIGITISE – the digital energy revolution is just getting started!
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E-NERGY Cluster at Enlit Europe 2025
Enlit Europe 2025 took place on 18-20 November in Bilbao, a city that has grown into an important reference point for the global energy sector. Held at the Bilbao Exhibition Centre, the event gathered professionals from across Europe and beyond, providing a setting well suited to discussions on how digitalisation, innovation and regional cooperation are shaping the continent’s energy landscape. The surrounding ecosystem of organisations active in electrification and clean energy offered a relevant context for examining both progress and remaining challenges.
The E-NERGY Cluster, bringing together the EU-funded projects DIGITISE, DECODIT, ENERGENIUS, CELINE and EU-DREAM, took part through a webinar, a booth in the EU Projects Zone and an interactive workshop. These activities provided several opportunities to outline the cluster’s aims and to discuss how digital solutions can support more meaningful citizen and customer engagement. Across the booth and workshop, we held live discussions with visitors about the dynamics of the energy market and the increasing importance of customer-centred models in meeting present-day expectations.
The webinar Digital technologies to make energy information more accessible and engaging, held on 6 November, offered a focused platform to examine how digital technologies can widen public participation in the energy system. Experts from across the cluster shared perspectives on data-driven decision-making, practical applications from pilot activities and approaches that can help organisations, citizens and policymakers act with greater awareness of environmental and social priorities. The exchanges highlighted a growing interest in tools that make energy information easier to interpret and act upon.
The workshop on the first day of the ENLIT fair offered a closer look at how a cluster-based approach can strengthen cooperation within the energy sector. It focused on the value of collective work in developing practical and innovative solutions across all participating projects. The session brought together contributors from various organisations, each presenting insights drawn from their technical and strategic experience. Speakers included Pablo Barrachina Rodríguez-Guisado (Voltiva Energy), Antonis Papanikolaou (Que Technologies), Luca Capra (Spindox Labs), Eleni Tsironi (UBITECH), Mariana Jimenez (EPRI Europe) and Vassilis Antonopoulos (Que Technologies). Their contributions supported a thoughtful exchange on how shared methodologies, coordinated research and joint experimentation can enhance consumer participation and help build a more resilient energy system.
Taken together, the E-NERGY Cluster’s contributions at Enlit reinforced its commitment to strengthening transparency, participation and digital readiness across Europe’s evolving energy landscape. Through direct engagement, shared expertise and collaborative dialogue, the cluster continues to support a more accessible and people-centred approach to the energy transition.
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CIRCE Presented Research on the Role of KPIs at the 5th International Conference on Applied Science and Engineering
CIRCE, one of the members of the DIGITISE consortium, participated in the 5th International Conference on Applied Science and Engineering under the theme "Technological Developments & Modern Trends in Applied Science and Advanced Engineering." CIRCE was represented during the presentation of research findings from the paper "Unveiling the Power of KPIs: Mapping Their Role in Technical, Economic, Environmental, Social, and Business Domains" by Boniface Dominick Mselle.
The study carries out an in-depth bibliometric analysis of how KPIs are applied across various sectors, with a particular focus on energy-related projects. The research, using a structured three-phase methodology and VOSViewer, then classified the existing literature into five key domains: Economic, Technical, Environmental, Business, and Social. The research findings showed that KPIs, while being in extensive use in economic and business contexts, still present a gap in their application for social and environmental concerns.
While the general trend in KPIs for energy projects focuses on economic and environmental metrics like cost-effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability, this study emphasizes the need for wider implementation of social KPIs that reflect user engagement, community impact, and equity.
The findings bring valued insights into the DIGITISE project, which focuses on empowering consumers and prosumers via digital and data-driven approaches within the energy sector. They also act as a basis for developing a uniform and holistic KPI framework that supports decision-making, transparency, and performance improvement across technical, economic, and societal dimensions.
With the release of this work, CIRCE reiterates its commitment to advancing interdisciplinary research in digital innovation, sustainability, and human-centric performance evaluation within the evolving energy ecosystem in Europe.
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E-NERGY Cluster at Enlit Europe 2025 - Driving Digital Transformation for an Inclusive Energy Future
The E-NERGY Cluster, which brings together the EU-funded projects DIGITISE, DECODIT, ENERGENIUS, CELINE, and EU-DREAM, will have a strong presence at Enlit Europe 2025, showcasing how digital innovation can empower citizens and organisations to take an active role in the energy transition. Through a combination of a webinar, a dedicated booth, and an interactive workshop, the cluster will highlight practical solutions that make energy information more accessible, engaging, and impactful.
Webinar: Digital technologies to make energy information more accessible and engaging
Broadcast on 6 November 2025, this 60-minute session explores how cutting-edge digital tools are transforming public participation in the energy landscape. Moderated by Antonis Papanikolaou (QUE Technologies | DECODIT), the panel includes leading experts: Stratis Kanarachos (European Dynamics | DECODIT), Annika Wolff (LUT University | CELINE), Kostas Arvanitis (ENERGENIUS), Eleni Tsironi (UBITECH | DIGITISE), and Valeria Palladino (ENEA | EU-DREAM). Together, they will present innovative approaches that empower citizens, businesses, and policymakers to make data-driven energy decisions that support sustainability and inclusion.
REGISTER HERE
Booth at EU Projects Zone
Visitors will find the E-NERGY Cluster booth at the EU Project Zone during Enlit Europe 2025, where representatives from all five projects will showcase their tools, research outcomes, and interactive demonstrations. The booth will be a meeting point for knowledge exchange — a space to discover how digitalisation, citizen engagement, and cross-sector collaboration can redefine Europe’s energy ecosystem.
Workshop: Digital Innovation for Consumer Participation in the Energy Transition
The cluster will also host a workshop on 18 November 2025 (10:00 – 11:30) at Theatre 3, Hall 5 (EU Projects Zone Hub). This interactive session will delve into how data, digital twins, AI analytics, and behavioural insights can boost consumer participation and support a sustainable, digitally integrated energy future. Participants will hear directly from project leaders about ongoing pilots, cross-sector synergies, and the vision for a fair and inclusive energy transition.
Connecting Innovation with People
Enlit Europe 2025 is more than an exhibition - it’s a living showcase of the energy transition in motion. The E-NERGY Cluster’s presence at the event reflects its mission: to democratise energy data, strengthen citizen participation, and build a human-centred, digital energy future for Europe.
Join us at Enlit Europe 2025 to meet the people shaping the next generation of digital energy innovation — where ideas meet action, and collaboration sparks real change.