Local Energy Communities and Distributed Generation: Contrasting Perspectives, and Inevitable Policy Trade-Offs, beyond the Apparent Global Consensus

Moroni, Stefano; Antoniucci, Valentina; Bisello, Adriano

doi:10.3390/su11123493

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Local Energy Communities and Distributed Generation: Contrasting Perspectives, and Inevitable Policy Trade-Offs, beyond the Apparent Global Consensus

Stefano Moroni

Valentina Antoniucci

and

Adriano Bisello

^3,*

Department of Architecture and Urban Studies, Polytechnic University of Milan, via Bonardi 3, 20133 Milano, Italy

Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering, University of Padua, via Venezia 1, 35151 Padova, Italy

Institute for Renewable Energy, Eurac Research, Viale Druso 1, 39100 Bolzano, Italy

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Sustainability 2019, 11(12), 3493; https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123493

Received: 27 May 2019 / Revised: 21 June 2019 / Accepted: 23 June 2019 / Published: 25 June 2019

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Abstract

Although a certain degree of consensus seems to pervade the ideas of “distributed energy systems” and “energy communities”, in truth, diverse views are involved. This article aims to shed light on the variety of interpretations of these two concepts. In particular, the article critically considers the answers to the following four questions: What exactly is meant by “distributed” in the expression “distributed energy generation”? Why is distributed generation (ethically) desirable? Why should people consider it a positive idea that “communities”—and not individuals or families—are invited to manage distributed generation systems? Lastly, can energy communities be considered different from standard state intervention and from market systems? Clearly defining these questions helps in emphasising crucial differences, and it is an important step toward achieving a critical understanding. The conclusion is that there is no single interpretation for either the idea of distributed energy or that of energy communities. Shifting emphasis from one feature to another can drastically affect what policies are required to foster the creation of such communities and of a distributed energy production scenario. View Full-Text

Keywords: energy transition; energy community; distributed energy; renewable energy; prosumer

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Moroni, S.; Antoniucci, V.; Bisello, A. Local Energy Communities and Distributed Generation: Contrasting Perspectives, and Inevitable Policy Trade-Offs, beyond the Apparent Global Consensus. Sustainability 2019, 11, 3493. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123493

AMA Style

Moroni S, Antoniucci V, Bisello A. Local Energy Communities and Distributed Generation: Contrasting Perspectives, and Inevitable Policy Trade-Offs, beyond the Apparent Global Consensus. Sustainability. 2019; 11(12):3493. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123493

Chicago/Turabian Style

Moroni, Stefano, Valentina Antoniucci, and Adriano Bisello. 2019. "Local Energy Communities and Distributed Generation: Contrasting Perspectives, and Inevitable Policy Trade-Offs, beyond the Apparent Global Consensus" Sustainability 11, no. 12: 3493. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11123493

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Local Energy Communities and Distributed Generation: Contrasting Perspectives, and Inevitable Policy Trade-Offs, beyond the Apparent Global Consensus

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