Solutions to Tackle Energy Poverty (S.T.E.P) is an ambitious, innovative and replicable model based on proven approaches to addressing energy poverty. STEP, by focussing on countries with the highest incidences of energy poverty, will use existing channels to reach energy poor consumers. Synthesising experience and knowledge of consumer organisations on energy and consumer issues, strengthening partnerships with frontline organisations in daily contact with energy poor consumers, and consolidating best practices from past projects on energy poverty, the project will implement appropriate schemes to alleviate energy poverty in the 9 target countries (Lithuania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Poland, Latvia, Czech Republic, Portugal, Cyprus and the UK). The general objective of STEP is to alleviate energy poverty by facilitating behavioural change through trusted, tailored advice provided directly to consumers in or at risk of energy poverty and by implementing low-cost energy efficiency solutions in energy poor households. The specific objectives are: - to develop well-functioning and well-trained national networks of advisors from consumer and frontline organisations who are in direct contact with consumers in or at risk of energy poverty - to improve living conditions of consumers in or at risk of energy poverty through behaviour change and implementation of no- or low-cost energy efficiency measures - to create schemes contributing to the alleviation of energy poverty, promote their replication and draw policy recommendations Through low cost energy efficiency measures - such as information campaigns and tips, demonstrations of cost savings, installation of no- and low-cost energy efficiency measures – STEP has the potential to reduce consumer energy bills and provide relief to energy poor households. Furthermore, through the institutionalisation of energy efficiency advice in sustainable consumer networks, we anticipate long term impacts and sustainability of STEP.

Three place-based innovation ecosystems in Cyprus, Greece and Bulgaria partner together to create an Excellence Hub for Future Cities and Regions in Southeast Europe (SEE). The METACITIES Excellence Hub is a sustainable network that offers a common platform for collaboration, cross-fertilization, and best practices sharing across borders, sectors and disciplines on knowledge production, circulation and use. Founded upon a joint R&I strategy, a nexus of collaborative links across sectors, joint research, innovation and outreach activities as well as business modelling and sustainability plans, the collaboration aims to benefit citizens, stakeholders, regional ecosystems and the whole SEE region. The thematic focus on future and metaverse cities necessitates the definition of ambitious R&I agendas and the uptake of advanced digital technologies. Digital Twins (DT) of future cities/regions provide accurate and reliable reference representation seamlessly unifying the physical, digital and human worlds and enabling stakeholders to assess the effects of any changes before investments and implementations actually occur. The proposed Open Digital Twin Framework facilitates co-development of complementary future city domains along with their equivalent DTs. The applied Quadruple Helix Model forges synergies among actors and alignment of public and private sector priorities for regional development. PoC studies, small-scale pilots and feasibility assessments validate project outcomes. Green Business and Operation Models will be developed for future and metaverse cities, as well as for the METACITIES Excellence Hub. Investment and Sustainability Plans will mobilize the communities of the three innovation ecosystems to progress faster in joined efforts. Common investment plans for R&I, infrastructures and support for real-life experimentation, aim to leverage national, regional and European funds as well as crowd funds and private capital in a synergetic manner.

CLEAR-X - Consumers Leading the EU’s Energy Ambition Response, Expansion - is an ambitious extension of a tried-and-tested methodology, designed and developed to address consumers’ needs. The overall objective is to enable consumers to lead the energy transition by investing in renewable energy and sustainable energy (RES) and energy efficient (EE) technologies. It aims to facilitate consumers’ access to household renewables at an affordable price, through the provision of trusted information, collective purchase schemes and an improved regulatory framework. By the conclusion of CLEAR-X, consumers will have improved the energy performance and comfort of their homes and reduced their energy bills in the long term. The CLEAR-X project will engage 38,000 consumers in collective purchase campaigns in 6 target countries and will trigger over 27M EUR in installations of RES technologies. The project is expected to result in an additional 40 GWh of renewable energy production and trigger 2.15 GWh of primary energy savings within the project duration. Furthermore, the project will help inform a significant number of consumers in the target countries about potential benefits of EE and RES technologies and influence an additional 17,000 consumers to act and save energy. Building on CLEAR (Intelligent Energy Europe) and CLEAR 2.0 (Horizon 2020), CLEAR-X will expand the proven collective purchase model, by engaging and supporting consumer organisations in Eastern and Southern Europe to launch schemes for their national consumers. Consumer organisations participating in CLEAR 2.0 developed considerable expertise in setting up and running collective purchase schemes and CLEAR-X will draw on this experience, both human and technological, to equip consumer organisations in the target countries with the necessary skills to run collective purchases.

PROTEIN4IMPACT aims at evaluating the nutritional, health, safety and quality aspects together with the environmental and socio-economic impacts of protein novel foods (NFs) obtained from unconventional sources. In order to close the project loop by maximizing the positive impact on the transition towards healthier, protein NFs, the overall approach to alternative protein production in PROTEIN4IMPACT is based on utilization of selected agri-food and fisheries & acquaculture by-products as primary feedstock as well as on the utilization of natural protein producers, i.e. fungi, bacteria, insects micro- and macroalgae. The secondary by-products formed along the value chain will be up-cycled for their use in the food production cycle or for the production of process energy. The obtained proteins will undergo modification and functionalization followed by a sensory evaluation and testing in food human trials and in aquaculture as feed ingredients. The project will also test the feasibility of producing NF products by simulating realistic industrial scale, using different methods and tools such as LCA, LCC, RA, and TEA as well as Digital Twins and real time AI-driven monitoring and DSS tools. The optimization of parameters affecting the protein NF production will be evaluated at the end to increase protein content and the impact assessment evaluated on each single stage (extraction, characterization, modification/functionalization of protein rich fraction, production of NFs) and on the integrated processes. PROTEIN4IMPACT NF acceptance and social relevance –also through sensory evaluation actions- will be assessed in four markets (Europe, USA, Africa and Asia) to benchmark the European scenario with the rest of the world. Only by using an integrated approach like the one proposed in PROTEIN4IMPACT will it be possible to evaluate the correct feasibility in the use of alternative proteins in the food sector with a realistic sustainable approach.