Energy as a Driver of Local Transformation: Isola del Gran Sasso Takes the Lead
Energy is key to the future of local communities. And in a small village at the foot of the Gran Sasso mountain range, this awareness is turning into an ambitious action plan.
Isola del Gran Sasso d’Italia, a municipality in the province of Teramo with just over 4,000 inhabitants, has been selected as a beneficiary of the EUCF – European City Facility, receiving a €60,000 grant to develop an Investment Concept (IC) that will guide the area toward a new, sustainable energy model.
Supporting the municipality in this transition is EnGreen, acting as the technical partner responsible for assisting the local administration in shaping the concept and, in parallel, in laying the groundwork for the future Renewable Energy Community (REC).
The EUCF is an initiative of the European Commission designed to help local authorities turn their sustainability plans into bankable investment projects.
Its goal is to bridge the gap between political ambition and the technical, financial, and social feasibility of energy transition initiatives. The grant does not fund direct infrastructure works; instead, it supports the development of an integrated strategy—the Investment Concept—that clearly and systematically outlines:
- the proposed measures (infrastructure, technologies, efficiency improvements);
- their technical and financial viability;
- the potential environmental and social impacts;
- the governance structure and stakeholder engagement strategy.
Watch the explanatory video on the EUCF to discover its objectives, funding opportunities, and benefits for the European cultural and creative sector. Examples and testimonials highlight how the EUCF supports innovative projects and transnational cooperation.
The Project: Energy Efficiency, Renewables, and Community
The project in Isola del Gran Sasso is driven by a clear vision: to reduce energy consumption, cut greenhouse gas emissions, and build a local development model based on shared energy and community participation.
This ambitious goal is being translated into an integrated set of interventions designed to deliver environmental, economic, and social benefits in both the short and long term.
At the heart of the initiative is the energy retrofit of public buildings. Schools, gyms, sports facilities, and municipal offices will undergo targeted upgrades, including thermal insulation, the replacement of outdated systems with high-efficiency HVAC technologies, and the installation of automation and energy monitoring tools. These improvements will significantly reduce energy demand while enhancing comfort and quality in spaces used daily by students, public employees, and residents.
A second core area of action focuses on renewable energy production, particularly the installation of photovoltaic systems on municipal rooftops. With a planned capacity of approximately 2 MW, the systems will not only meet the energy needs of public buildings but also support collective self-consumption and energy sharing, paving the way for the establishment of the future REC.
To round out the infrastructure plan, the municipality intends to build a biomass-powered district heating network—a strategic choice that promotes both environmental sustainability and the enhancement of local natural resources. The controlled, certified use of locally sourced biomass—mainly derived from forest maintenance in the Gran Sasso and Monti della Laga National Park—offers a renewable alternative to natural gas, activates a local supply chain, creates jobs, and contributes to active landscape management. In doing so, the project combines climate targets with sustainable forest management goals, delivering additional benefits such as increased biodiversity and reduced hydrogeological risk.
Yet the project’s true strength lies not only in its technical solutions but in its community-focused approach. It aims to build a participatory energy ecosystem, engaging citizens, businesses, schools, and associations in a shared transition process. The creation of the REC will serve as a real-world opportunity to experiment with new ways of producing, consuming, and managing energy, grounded in values of mutual support, solidarity, and inclusion.
The project also seeks to generate positive economic impacts for the region by creating new jobs in sustainable construction, energy system installation, and energy management. At the same time, it fits into a broader strategy to promote sustainable tourism: positioning Isola del Gran Sasso as a zero-emissions model community could attract environmentally conscious visitors and boost local businesses.
In short, the project offers an integrated local energy transition model, combining infrastructure upgrades, technological innovation, responsible resource use, and civic engagement—a clear roadmap toward a low-emissions, more resilient, and people-centered future.
The Role of EnGreen: Vision and Method
Supporting a territory in its energy transition is not just about delivering technical consulting—it’s about building alliances, understanding local specificities, and turning political intent into feasible and sustainable projects.
This is exactly how EnGreen is supporting the Municipality of Isola del Gran Sasso in developing the Investment Concept, the core of the EUCF funding and the first real step toward a shared energy model.
Our involvement spans the entire process of shaping and structuring the project.
On one hand, we provide multidisciplinary expertise to analyze energy needs, identify priority actions, and assess the technical, economic, and regulatory feasibility of proposed solutions. On the other, we work with the municipality to build an integrated strategic vision—linking building upgrades, renewable production, smart energy management, and citizen involvement.
Through energy audits, techno-economic simulations, benchmarking, and sustainable financial models, we help the administration define a clear, concrete, and replicable roadmap. The aim is to make the project bankable and ready for implementation, engaging potential investors, financial institutions, and local stakeholders from the outset.
But our contribution does not end with the Investment Concept. In line with our approach, we are already laying the groundwork for the future Renewable Energy Community, designing an open, transparent, and participatory governance model. This includes public meetings, technical workshops, and awareness campaigns that actively involve citizens, businesses, schools, and associations—turning the project into a truly community-driven effort.
Thanks to our experience across Italy and internationally, we are able to combine strategic vision with hands-on execution—bringing together technical precision, project management skills, and a deep commitment to listening. Every project is unique, but all are guided by the same principle: creating real, lasting impact for people and the environment.
A Replicable Model for Other Communities
The Isola del Gran Sasso project is far from an isolated case.
It’s a concrete example of how small municipalities can lead the energy transition in a structured, ambitious, and participatory way. The combination of public building retrofits, rooftop PV, district heating, and the creation of a REC can easily be adapted to other similar contexts—particularly in Italy’s rural and mountain areas.
Many municipalities across the country face the same challenges: energy-inefficient buildings, limited resources, but also a strong local identity and a community ready to take action. It’s in places like these that the Isola del Gran Sasso model can truly make a difference. That’s why EnGreen is committed to making this experience replicable, by documenting each phase, simplifying key steps, and sharing the tools developed along the way.
A key driver in this process is Newton, the cooperative platform developed by EnGreen to streamline and accelerate REC creation. Newton provides legal, technical, operational, and training support in one unified environment. It allows municipalities to move faster from planning to implementation—while engaging local citizens and businesses in a meaningful way.
What is being built today in Isola del Gran Sasso can become a working model for other communities—practical, sustainable, and within reach of any local authority ready to lead the change.
The project in Isola del Gran Sasso clearly shows that even small municipalities can play a leading role in the energy transition—when backed by the right skills, a concrete vision, and effective tools.
The Investment Concept currently under development is just the beginning: a structured plan that can turn ideas into action, with real benefits for the environment, the local economy, and residents’ quality of life.
With EnGreen’s technical support and the operational tools offered by Newton, this initiative is already carving out a path for many other communities. A path built on collaboration, innovation, and participation—where sustainability is not just a goal, but a shared way of working.
For us, it’s yet another confirmation that the energy transition starts in the territories—and that with the right vision and method, even the most complex challenges can become real opportunities.
