Energy, Environment, and Social Effects Obtainable Through the Renewable Energy Community Institution

Dear Colleagues,

Within contemporary society, all media insist on the necessity of reducing global warming via the reduction of climate-altering emissions. This is achievable through the development and massive application and exploitation of RESs (renewable energy sources). The effects of climate alteration are globally under scrutiny. One of the systems introduced by the European Community to combat this problem is the institution of the Renewable Energy Communities (RECs), to whom huge resources have been provided. RECs largely focus on the following:

• Rewarding the association between public administrations (city government, national school, local and central government) and private entities (common people, condominiums, SMEs, religious entities, etc.), in which contemporary energy producers and consumers (prosumers) are present.
• Remunerating the energy exchanges detected by the special meters applied to the electric energy connections points.
• Increasing the self-consciousness of common people regarding the possibility of reducing climate-altering emissions and the consequent environmental damages.
• Developing further forms of RESs which could contribute to the overall goals of these actions.

These are the reasons why, in most RECs, a scientific committee with connections to Universities and Research Centers is vital. This is also the reason why we are presenting this Special Issue with a focus on this particular subject. Even if the actions connected with the RECs are mainly centered in and around Europe, the problems they are attempted to combat are global. Consequently, many other countries and continents are focusing on similar climate-related challenges.

We are inviting all researchers who are interested in the development of the technical and scientific aspects of RESs to contribute to this Special Issue, with original research and review papers. The following topics are particularly suitable to this Special Issue:

• Modelling energy exchanges in the RECs with the following goals:
  • optimizing the environments benefits;
  • optimizing the social impact of the RECs, e.g., job opportunities;
  • increase the energy sparing and consequent expense reduction for common users;
• Introduce new forms of RESs, as well their evaluations of the environmental, energetic, and social effects;
• Activate systems to increase the awareness of people regarding the possibilities opened by these initiatives;
• Increase the consciousness of people regarding the problems that the RECs are attempting to solve;
• Supply job opportunities.

Prof. Dr. Paolo Coppa
Dr. Sandra Corasaniti
Guest Editors

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