Energy communities—lessons learnt, challenges, and policy recommendations
Artikel i vetenskaplig tidskrift, 2025

Energy communities (ECs) are considered important in transitioning the energy system. They are of particular interest due to their potential to empower citizens and support a more just energy transition. However, experiences from ECs remain limited and vary across countries, thus raising questions on potential future advancements. In this article, we explore experiences from ECs in several European countries to inspire discussions on further evolvement and improvements. Insights into lessons learned and key challenges within the selected countries have been collected and analysed, and recommendations for advancing these efforts are provided to policy makers. The results indicate that ECs are making progress in producing and sharing renewable energy while supporting a more just energy transition by engaging a variety of actors within local communities. The challenges, however, often stem from limited national support and difficulties in fully achieving diversity within engaged local communities. The recommendations stress the importance of building on early learnings in community energy and further strengthening local anchoring to achieve a just transition. This in turn, generates fertile ground for discussions on how to localize energy policy and reinforce a multi-level policy approach beyond the European and national levels.

best practice

policy recommendations

Europe

energy communities

challenges

Författare

L. Neij

Lunds universitet

Jenny Palm

Lunds universitet

H. Busch

Lunds universitet

T. Bauwens

Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam

S. Becker

Philipps-Universität Marburg

Anna Bergek

Chalmers, Teknikens ekonomi och organisation, Environmental Systems Analysis

A. Buzogány

Universität für Bodenkultur

C. Candelise

Universita Bocconi

Imperial College London

F. Coenen

Universiteit Twente

P. Devine-Wright

University of Exeter

Thomas Hoppe

Universiteit Twente

A. Kortetmäki

Tampereen Ammattikorkeakoulu

K. Pantazis

Universita Bocconi

F. Palaiogiannis

Collective Energy Coop

M. Margosi

Collective Energy Coop

D. Petrovics

Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam

J. Plöchl

Universität für Bodenkultur

G. Ruggieri

Universita degli Studi dell'Insubria

S. Ruggiero

Lappeenrannan-Lahden teknillinen yliopisto (LUT)

K. Standal

Cicero Senter for klimaforskning

P. Scherhaufer

Universität für Bodenkultur

I. Soutar

University of Exeter

Oxford Open Energy

27525082 (eISSN)

Vol. 4 oiaf002

Sol i gemenskap: deltagande, organisation och regelverk (SiG)

Energimyndigheten (50951-1), 2021-01-01 -- 2023-12-31.

Ämneskategorier (SSIF 2025)

Energisystem

DOI

10.1093/ooenergy/oiaf002

Mer information

Senast uppdaterat

2025-04-17