Vision statement outlines the partnership's plans for the next three years of finance innovation.
Read BRAVE’s Vision Statement
The partnership “Business Readiness Acceleration for innovative regional energy ecosystems (BRAVE)” has published its 2027 vision for the 12-member partnership, which includes producing six public-private finance “blueprints” for common local energy assets. Over the next three years, blueprints will be tested on the ground by cities, regions, business support organizations, and private sector partners.
BRAVE’s vision statement includes an outline of the six finance blueprints being developed in BRAVE, as well as the theory of change that will drive blueprint development.
From viable to scalable energy solutions with new finance models - BRAVE’s vision
Achieving a green transition across Europe requires technically viable local energy solutions to scale across all regions in Europe.
Making this happen requires new investment, which demands closer and more dynamic collaboration between:
- Energy project developers
- Enabling public authorities
- Private finance
To accelerate these partnerships, the BRAVE initiative is building six investment partnership blueprints for clean local energy solutions.
The aim is to design new ways to deliver clean energy, focussing on bankability and scalability as much as technical maturity - so that local solutions can be replicated in regions all over Europe.
Building regional capacity for energy scale-up - BRAVE’s theory of change
BRAVE sites each explore a distinct combination of public-private partnership, financing, and support between local authorities, financial institutions, and local project developers.
By project end, BRAVE will create at least six investment blueprints - allowing future public entities in Europe to replicate these solutions and build bankable local energy solutions and attract private investment.
BRAVE aims to advance the Business Readiness of Europe’s local energy solutions, taking them from publicly-funded single-site demonstrators to replicable models through new private investment.
To do this, the partnership is developing innovation capacity at Regional and City level, building the public sector’s ability to facilitate new finance and partnerships, and developing ‘Investment Blueprints’ for key local energy asset classes.
Introducing the six Blueprints for Investment in Clean Energy
The BRAVE initiative is focused on addressing the financing gap that often hinders the deployment of local energy solutions. By developing six scalable investment blueprints, the partnership aims to make clean energy projects more bankable and replicable across different regions in Europe. These blueprints will be tailored to local needs and involve collaboration between public authorities, private investors, and project developers.
The investment blueprints cover a range of energy solutions, including:
- City Scale-up Fund (Rotterdam, NL): Supporting local energy innovators through a mix of subsidies and loans from city authorities and local banks.
- Public E-Bus Financing (Amiens, FR): Expanding the successful €120 million electric bus initiative by developing financing models between authorities and transport providers.
- Industrial Hydrogen Hub (Brabant, NL): Establishing a €30 million scalable clean hydrogen investment model.
- Smart Energy Community (Malmö, SE): Attracting €5 million in private investment for sustainable urban energy systems.
- Affordable E-Heating (Antwerp, BE): Designing a €2 million investment case for heat pump deployment in low-income housing.
- Municipal Rooftop Solar (Aarhus, DK): Rolling out a €13 million financing model that blends private bank loans with public guarantees.
BRAVE by 2027
By the end of the project, BRAVE is expected to have mobilized over €150 million in investment across six European regions, setting the stage for future clean energy projects to follow suit. The initiative's success could provide a crucial roadmap for other municipalities and regions looking to accelerate their transition to sustainable energy.