Youth Initiatives and their Role in the Energy Transition
Youth are driving change in Europe’s energy transition, yet policies still overlook their needs and potential.
Young people are at the heart of the energy transition – both as the generation that will experience its full impact and as a group whose active participation is crucial to making the transition happen. While youth engagement is essential for a just and effective transition, current policies often overlook young energy consumers. Across Europe, bottom-up initiatives demonstrate innovative ways to involve youth, proving that they are not merely future stakeholders but active participants today. However, barriers such as financial constraints and exclusion from energy policies remain. How can we ensure that young people are not left behind but empowered and willing to engage and drive the energy transition?
Youth as a vulnerable consumer group in the energy transition
Young people face a unique set of challenges in accessing affordable and sustainable energy. As highlighted by the European Youth Energy Network (EYEN), youth are often financially constrained, with many earning modest incomes while living in rented housing lacking energy efficiency measures. Despite being disproportionately affected by energy poverty, youth are not officially recognised as a vulnerable consumer group in the EU and most Member States’ energy policy. Moreover, one of the key barriers to youth participation in sustainable energy solutions is the financial threshold. Due to the legal and economic realities in some Member States, young people often struggle to meet the initial investment requirements to become energy community members. Without targeted financial support, such as grants or preferential loans, youth remain excluded from initiatives that could help them reduce energy costs and actively participate in the clean energy transition.
Despite being disproportionately affected by energy poverty, youth are not officially recognised as a vulnerable consumer group in the EU and most Member States’ energy policy. Moreover, one of the key barriers to youth participation in sustainable energy solutions is the financial threshold.
Beyond financial limitations, structural issues – such as the landlord-tenant dilemma – further restrict young people’s ability to benefit from energy efficiency improvements. Since many young consumers rent their homes, they have little control over energy upgrades, while landlords have limited incentives to make investments that benefit tenants. Addressing these barriers requires recognising youth as a vulnerable consumer group and tailoring policy interventions accordingly.
How youth are already driving the energy transition
Despite these challenges, youth-led and youth-inclusive initiatives across Europe demonstrate the potential of young people to shape the energy transition. Through its on-the-ground research, our task force has documented several best practices that highlight how young people are engaging in the sector.
For example, in Greece, the Electra Energy Cooperative supports energy communities by providing legal and technical assistance. While not exclusively targeting young people, it has seen high youth participation due to their interest in tackling climate change. However, financial barriers remain challenging, with required investments ranging from €1,500 to €3,500.
In Poland, the CoopTech Hub, a cooperative startup, helps establish energy communities by providing regulatory guidance and business model support. However, restrictive national policies make it difficult for young people to participate fully, as many energy cooperatives are limited to serving only their own members. The initiative uses social media tools in its campaigns to attract a wide range of consumers.
Another key aspect of alleviating energy poverty is enhancing the energy efficiency of residential buildings. Here, the non-profit organisation Just a Change (Portugal) renovates homes for people living in energy poverty, with a strong focus on youth engagement. Each year, it mobilises around 2,000 young volunteers to work on housing improvements, raising awareness of energy poverty while providing hands-on solutions. By involving youth directly, Just a Change strengthens community resilience and demonstrates the role young people can play in tackling energy poverty.
These examples highlight that, where financial and regulatory barriers are addressed, young people are eager and capable of leading energy transition initiatives.
Policy recommendations: enabling youth as key energy stakeholders
To unlock the full potential of young people in the energy transition, policy-makers must implement targeted measures that remove barriers and actively involve youth in decision-making. The Young Energy Consumers Task Force proposes the following set of policy recommendations:
- Recognise youth as a vulnerable consumer group in energy policies, ensuring that financial and structural barriers are addressed.
- Expand financial support mechanisms such as targeted subsidies, grants for young renters, and easier access to energy community memberships.
- Ensure youth representation in decision-making at local, national, and EU levels, integrating their perspectives into energy policies.
- Promote inclusive energy communities by removing financial entry barriers and supporting youth engagement in cooperative models.
- Enhance education and outreach efforts to equip young people with the skills and knowledge needed to participate in the energy transition.
As the European Commission sets its agenda for the coming years, it must recognise that youth are not just future energy consumers – they are already shaping the transition. Investing in their inclusion today is essential for ensuring a just, effective, and truly participatory energy transition, while also minimising the social backlashes that often arise from feelings of exclusion and being unheard.
This opinion editorial is produced in cooperation with the European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW) 2025.