Trends and Prospects for Energy Communities in Europe

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Energy communities are a new concept that organizes decentralized and community-owned renewable energy sources. While consumer savings so far are limited, the recent aim for energy autonmy has accerlarated their deployment. The EU definitions of energy communities emphasize non-monetary benefits, including, for example, the mitigation of energy poverty, the decarbonisation and decentralisation of energy producers, inclusiveness of sustainable development, and other social targets. At the same time, a fast roll-out of renewable energies and the need for strong energy savings requires multiple approaches. This includes existing and emerging collective actions outside the Clean Energy Package that may not need public subsidies, are profit-oriented, and include larger companies and traditional investors enabling economies of scale while still involving or supporting communities. A range of technolgies and their integration is also key for unfolding the full potential of this concept.

The aim of this Topic is to collect research providing insight into:

• The current status of energy community framework in countries;
• Advancements in technical, economic, financial, environmental, and policy aspects, including social practices;
• Evaluation and policy frameworks;
• Techno-economic analysis, including societal analysis;
• Stakeholder engagement practices;
• Best practices (examples of energy communities);
• Future outlook (including sector coupling opportunities and solutions and symbiosis with industry);
• The role of energy communities in future energy systems;
• Business-driven collective energy actions;
• Thermal demands and district heating in energy communities;
• Energy-sharing models among prosumers;
• Alternative fuels/carriers for energy production (hydrogen, etc.).

Dr. Francesco Reda
Dr. Rosaria Volpe
Topic Editors

Andreas Tuerk
Topic Editor Assistant
Affiliation: Joanneum Research, Leonhardstrasse 59, 8010 Graz, Austria
E-mail: [email protected]
Homepage: www.joanneum.at/LIFE
Interests: energy policy; decentralized energy systems; energy communities; smart cities; energy policy

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Buildings buildings	3.1	3.4	2011	17.2 Days	CHF 2600
Energies energies	3.0	6.2	2008	17.5 Days	CHF 2600
Smart Cities smartcities	7.0	11.2	2018	25.8 Days	CHF 2000
Sustainability sustainability	3.3	6.8	2009	20 Days	CHF 2400
Urban Science urbansci	2.1	4.3	2017	24.7 Days	CHF 1600

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Published Papers (2 papers)

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All Buildings Energies Smart Cities Sustainability Urban Science

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18 pages, 4055 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Unveiling Key Factors Shaping Energy Storage Strategies for Sustainable Energy Communities

by José Andrés Palacios-Ferrer, Francisco J. Rey-Martínez, Christian A. Repenning-Bzdigian and Javier M. Rey-Hernández

Buildings 2024, 14(5), 1466; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings14051466 - 18 May 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 954

Abstract

This research delves into a case study of a photovoltaic (PV) energy community, leveraging empirical data to explore the integration of renewable energy sources and storage solutions. By evaluating energy generation and consumption patterns within real-world energy communities (a nominal generation capacity of [...] Read more.

This research delves into a case study of a photovoltaic (PV) energy community, leveraging empirical data to explore the integration of renewable energy sources and storage solutions. By evaluating energy generation and consumption patterns within real-world energy communities (a nominal generation capacity of 33 kWn) in Gipuzkoa, Spain, from May 2022 to May 2023, this study comprehensively examines operational dynamics and performance metrics. This study highlights the critical role of energy consumption patterns in facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources and underscores the importance of proactive strategies to manage demand fluctuations effectively. Against the backdrop of rising energy costs and environmental concerns, renewable energies and storage solutions emerge as compelling alternatives, offering financial feasibility and environmental benefits within energy communities. This study emphasizes the necessity of research and development efforts to develop efficient energy storage technologies and the importance of economic incentives and collaborative initiatives to drive investments in renewable energy infrastructure. The analyzed results provide valuable insights into operational dynamics and performance metrics, further advancing our understanding of their transformative potential in achieving a sustainable energy future. Specifically, our study suggests that storage capacity should ideally support an average annual capacity of 23%, with fluctuations observed where this capacity may double or reduce to a minimum in certain months. Given the current market conditions, our findings indicate the necessity of significant public subsidies, amounting to no less than 67%, to facilitate the installation of storage infrastructure, especially in cases where initial investments are not covered by the energy community. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Trends and Prospects for Energy Communities in Europe)

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20 pages, 549 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Cross-Case Analysis of the Energy Communities in Spain, Italy, and Greece: Progress, Barriers, and the Road Ahead

by Luisa Losada-Puente, José Antonio Blanco, Adina Dumitru, Ioannis Sebos, Aggelos Tsakanikas, Ioanna Liosi, Stelios Psomas, Mariangela Merrone, Diego Quiñoy and Eduardo Rodríguez

Sustainability 2023, 15(18), 14016; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151814016 - 21 Sep 2023

Cited by 16 | Viewed by 1935

Abstract

The current regulatory context for the energy sector and in which Energy Communities operate is fragmented and unclear in most EU countries. Although some initiatives have existed in Northern Europe for some time, this concept is considered relatively new. Indeed, EU legislation has [...] Read more.

The current regulatory context for the energy sector and in which Energy Communities operate is fragmented and unclear in most EU countries. Although some initiatives have existed in Northern Europe for some time, this concept is considered relatively new. Indeed, EU legislation has only recently recognised Energy Communities through EU Directives 2018/2001 and 2019/944. In the framework of the Erasmus+ EU project EU-NETs (Grant Number KA220-VET-62435110), this qualitative research gathered information regarding the current adaptability and applicability of directives within national legislation, together with the legal and administrative frameworks in Spain, Italy, and Greece. Desk research and semi-structured interviews with 20 key informants from Spain, Italy, and Greece were conducted. Cross-case analysis was focused on the regulatory framework for ECs, its structure, and the models of governance. The results showed that the process of harmonisation of renewable energy legislation has not yet been completed in Southern Europe, with notable differences in the degree of implementation between countries. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Trends and Prospects for Energy Communities in Europe)

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