Budaörs Brings Energy Communities to the Spotlight!

Budaörs (Hungary) closed 2025 on a high note, becoming a hub for discussion on the future of energy communities by hosting a professional conference at the Town Hall that brought together experts, policymakers, and practitioners.

The event focused on how energy communities, where residents, municipalities, and businesses jointly produce, consume, store, and share renewable energy, can support the energy transition, strengthen local resilience, and contribute to climate protection. A key message throughout the conference: energy communities are not just about technology, but about people working together.

The conference was opened by Mayor Tamás Wittinghoff, followed by a series of inspiring keynote presentations:

• Márton Fabók (Solidarity Economy Center) presented international and domestic examples of energy communities, highlighting the role of municipalities in advancing the energy transition and stressing the importance of social commitment from all stakeholders.

• Dr. Péter Kaderják (BME Zero Carbon Center) addressed Hungary’s developing regulatory environment, outlining current conditions and potential future scenarios.

• Szabolcs Gerendás (Bábolna Energy Community Nonprofit Ltd.) shared insights into the establishment, challenges, successes, and technical solutions of Hungary’s first energy community in Bábolna.

• Sándor Szabó (Municipality of Budaörs) introduced the international NEEDS Repowered Project, which operates across six countries and six Positive Energy Districts, focusing on energy efficiency, innovative solutions, and awareness-raising. In Budaörs, the project emphasizes knowledge transfer and the study of micro energy communities.

• Dr. Mátyás Szántó (Urban Institute Hungary) presented an IT-focused analysis of micro energy communities, outlining pathways to creating the ideal energy community.

The day concluded with a lively panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Szántó, featuring Fabók, Kaderják, Gerendás, and Csaba Vágó, who reflected on the real-world challenges of setting up energy communities in Hungary. A recurring theme was the courage of early pioneers, those willing to invest despite higher initial costs, driven by long-term benefits such as lower energy prices, greater independence, and climate impact.

A big thank you to all speakers and participants!

This conference represents an important milestone for NEEDS Repowered in Budaörs. The discussions, shared experiences, and insights gathered will directly feed into the project’s work on energy communities, policy learning, and knowledge transfer. By connecting local practice with national expertise and European collaboration, the event strengthens the project’s mission to support resilient, inclusive Positive Energy Districts and to translate real-world experiences into solutions that can be replicated beyond Budaörs.

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