On 3-4 October 2024, partners of the EENOVA project gathered in Ljubljana, Slovenia, for the project’s second Consortium Meeting. Hosted during an important stage of implementation, the meeting brought together experts from across Europe to review progress, coordinate upcoming activities and prepare the next phase of work aimed at improving energy efficiency throughout Europe’s food processing sector.
As Communication and Dissemination Leader, EEIP participated in discussions on project visibility, stakeholder engagement and knowledge sharing, helping ensure that the technical work carried out by the consortium reaches businesses, policymakers and organisations that can benefit from its results.
Strengthening Collaboration Across Europe’s Food Value Chains
The food processing industry remains one of Europe’s largest manufacturing sectors, yet many companies continue to face challenges in improving energy efficiency due to fragmented value chains, limited cooperation and barriers to implementing energy-saving measures.
EENOVA addresses these challenges by taking a regional value chain approach, bringing together food producers, technology providers, industry associations, public authorities and energy experts to identify opportunities for collaborative action. Rather than focusing solely on individual companies, the project explores how cooperation across entire regional ecosystems can accelerate the adoption of energy-efficient solutions.
The consortium meeting provided an opportunity for partners to review progress across the project’s work packages, coordinate future activities and ensure that technical developments remain aligned with the project’s overall objectives.
Launching the Next Phase of Technical Work
One of the key milestones discussed during the meeting was the start of Work Package 3, which focuses on carrying out energy audits and developing action plans across the project’s five regional food value chains.
This phase marks an important step in translating the project’s methodology into practical activities. Through detailed assessments and close collaboration with regional stakeholders, the consortium will identify opportunities to improve energy performance, reduce operational costs and strengthen the competitiveness of food processing businesses.
The meeting also allowed partners to coordinate methodologies, exchange experiences between pilot regions and prepare the activities that will support the implementation of tailored energy efficiency measures over the coming months.
EEIP Supporting Communication That Creates Impact
Communicating European innovation projects is about much more than reporting project milestones. It is about ensuring that knowledge reaches the people who can apply it.
As leader of the project’s Communication and Dissemination activities, EEIP presented progress on outreach efforts and discussed the communication strategy for the next phase of EENOVA. The discussions focused on ensuring that technical results are translated into clear and accessible information for businesses, policymakers, industry associations and other stakeholders interested in improving energy efficiency.
The meeting also provided an opportunity to coordinate future dissemination activities, including digital communication, publications, stakeholder engagement initiatives and participation in industry events that will help maximise the project’s visibility throughout Europe.
By working closely with technical partners, EEIP ensures that communication evolves alongside the project, accurately reflecting its progress while supporting wider uptake of its results.
Turning Knowledge into Action
One of EENOVA’s defining characteristics is its focus on practical implementation.
The project is not only generating knowledge about energy efficiency but also developing tools and methodologies that can support real improvements within regional food value chains. Sharing these experiences throughout the project is essential for encouraging wider adoption beyond the pilot regions.
EEIP contributes to this objective by creating communication activities that make complex technical work understandable and relevant for different audiences. From digital storytelling and visual communication to stakeholder engagement and event participation, the aim is to ensure that project results become practical knowledge that organisations can use to accelerate their own energy transition.
Looking Ahead
As EENOVA enters the next phase of implementation, partners will continue working with regional stakeholders to carry out energy audits, develop action plans and validate collaborative approaches to improving energy efficiency across the food processing sector.
EEIP will continue leading communication and dissemination activities throughout the project, supporting stakeholder engagement, promoting project results and helping build a stronger dialogue between industry, policymakers and regional organisations.
By combining technical innovation with effective communication and collaboration, EENOVA is helping create new pathways for reducing energy consumption and strengthening the competitiveness of Europe’s food value chains.
Explore the latest project updates at eenova-project.eu
Funding Acknowledgement
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under Grant Agreement No. 101076386.
Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA). Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
