Across Europe, wind turbines are rising from fields, solar panels are glinting on rooftops, and communities are rethinking how they use their land. The renewable energy transition is no longer a distant ambition — it’s happening here and now. But with land also needed for food, nature, housing, and industry, the question is no longer if we will transition, but how we will make space for it.

On 19–20 November 2025, the city of Aalborg hosted the ESPON Seminar: Making Space for the Renewable Energy Transition. This event gathered European policymakers, researchers, planners, and stakeholders to tackle one of the most pressing challenges of our time: accelerating renewable energy deployment while safeguarding social cohesion, biodiversity, and economic competitiveness.

Setting the Scene

The discussions were opened by Connie Hedegaard, former EU Commissioner for Climate Action, who reflected on Europe’s strategic autonomy and energy future in a changing geopolitical landscape. Her keynote set the tone for two days of dialogue connecting European, national, and local perspectives on how to balance ambition with action.

Following the opening, plenary debates brought together voices from EU institutions, academia, and civil society — including representatives from the European Committee of the Regions, Aalborg University, and the European Environmental Bureau — to explore how the green transition can strengthen territorial cohesion and competitiveness across Europe.

From Policy to Practice

Interactive sessions took participants from the European to the local level, looking at how renewable energy projects interact with community needs, land-use priorities, and biodiversity goals.
An engaging World Café hosted by the ESPON MAK-RES project provided space for hands-on discussion and exchange on practical solutions, followed by thematic sessions presenting ESPON’s latest research — including projects on nature-based solutions, energy for reindustrialisation, and the geography of the green transition.

The seminar concluded with reflections from the ESPON Managing Authority, the ESPON EGTC, and the upcoming Cyprus EU Presidency, outlining key takeaways and next steps for European cooperation.

Thank you and follow up

A big thanks to everyone who was present in Aalborg to join us and cooperate with us for this event. Please find the PowerPoint presentations below. Due to a size limit on this webpage, you can find the video presented by Connie Hedegaard here and the presentation of Søren Møller Christensen, from the Baltic Energy Island (DK), here.

The photos of the event are available here.