COPOWER Final Conference: Shaping the Future of Arctic Energy

< Go Back

The COPOWER project, funded by the Interreg NPA, reached its milestone conclusion recently week with a two-day final conference hosted by Donegal County Council

29 April 2026 - COPOWER project

Partners from Iceland, Finland, Ireland, and the Faroe Islands gathered to showcase how community-based energy systems are transforming the region’s energy landscape.

Day 1: Pilots in Action
The conference commenced with a site visit to the Lifford Pilot, located at a former army barracks. Attendees saw first-hand how a Virtual Power Plant (VPP) is being tested to coordinate solar arrays with a new 40 kWh battery. By managing energy flow and storing off-peak power, the system reduces grid pressure and improves local efficiency.

The afternoon shifted focus to urban sustainability with a visit to Acorn Farm in Derry, exploring how green initiatives can be integrated into city environments.

Day 2: Innovation and Leadership
The final day at CoLab (ATU) in Letterkenny was officially opened by the Cathaoirleach of Donegal, Paul Canning, who emphasised the vital role of local leadership in regional energy transitions.
Key technical sessions, led by ERNACT and academic partners, delved into the practical results of the project’s pilots:

Technical Foundations: Centria University of Applied Sciences and the University of Oulu shared data from biogas and home-based VPP systems.
Regional Integration: Donegal County Council discussed implementing these systems within local authority frameworks.
Domestic Solutions: Nolsoy Energy Ltd. and the University of Iceland presented findings on cooperative energy management for residential settings.

The event also highlighted regional progress through the North West Energy Agency (NWEA), featuring the Donegal Retrofit Mission—an ambitious plan to scale up building upgrades for homeowners and businesses.

As COPOWER concludes, the frameworks established in Letterkenny provide a practical roadmap for energy independence and sustainability across the Northern Periphery and Arctic region.

Get Involved
Are you interested in the future of community energy? Explore our final reports and pilot data to see how these innovations can be applied in your region. Find out more at Outputs & Results.

Click here to email Maixa Zabaleta at ERNACT for further information

Other Stories

MINDSET expands its impact through the INCLUDE clustering project

01 September 2026

MINDSET building on its work in regional mission-oriented innovation through INCLUDE, a clustering project connecting knowledge from three European projects

MINDSET

CIVITEC partners meet in Preveza for two days of policy learning

31 August 2026

Hosted by the Municipality of Preveza, the programme explored how digital services and citizen participation can support local authorities.

CIVITEC

Innovative Smart Bench Opens at Glenveagh National Park

21 August 2026

The official opening of An Binse Cliste – The Smart Bench took place at Glenveagh National Park, County Donegal this week.

ERNACT

AWAVES kick-off Meeting: Valuing Atlantic maritime heritage through cooperation

02 July 2026

AWAVES project: Collaborating across Europe to preserve and digitalise maritime memory in Atlantic regions

AWAVES