Good practices

It is essential to explore the regulatory framework of building energy communities 

We are developing a policy brief by concentrating on the macro level analysis and developing the state-of-the-art in understanding diverse institutional and regulatory contexts across Europe, in order to identify barriers to specific stakeholder groups, at specific stages of the PEDs/ECs lifecycle.

The aims of the policy brief is to:

• • Identify the most important institutional and regulatory barriers in the implementation of PEDs/ECs;
  • Collect innovative approach in the implementation of PEDs/ECs;
  • Analyse the specific challenges, needs and approaches of each ENERGY4ALL pilot case.

Download D1.1: COMPLEX ANALYSIS ON INSTITUTIONAL AND REGULATORY FRAMEWORKS OF PEDs/ECs

It’s fundamental to share models to replicate energy community experiences

We will provide a framework with which the transferability of various innovations piloted in other member states can be assessed, and conditions for transfer can be provided. Our analysis will rely on transition theory, multi-level perspective, and systems perspective.

The aims of the transferability assessment are:

• Map out and analyse the relevant sociotechnical system for each pilot;
• Identify leverage points from which system change can be enacted;
• Develop theories of change to describe the conditions of transferring the innovations and to accelerate PED proliferation.

Energy communities need a set of fundamental resources

Resource analysis for scoping of local challenges and opportunities. Each pilot will produce their resource analysis which will include cross-analysis of the available economic, social, cultural and environmental resources; development of evaluation framework for intervention scenarios based on data from energy audit

Each pilot will produce their resource analysis which will include: 

• Cross-analysis of the available economic, social, cultural and environmental resources; development of evaluation framework for intervention scenarios based on data from energy audit; 
• Co-design possible intervention scenarios and co-identify, validate final scenarios; 
• Analysis of energy behaviours of inhabitants and setup of the methodology and assessment of the development throughout the project. 
• A neighbourhood survey that will address the state of conservation of the buildings and the interventions necessary for their energy efficiency

Engaged communities are the core of local energy transition

Research on community engagement will involve creation of stakeholder engagement strategy based on stakeholder mapping, and identifying touchpoints on user journey models that influence behaviour.

Research on community engagement will involve: 

• Creation of stakeholder engagement strategy based on stakeholder mapping, and identifying touchpoints on user journey models that influence behaviour;
• Establishing a local stakeholder collaboration with regular exchange activities and program to inform and involve citizens with the collaborating municipalities;
• Identifying local gaps and needs to address in further activities;
• Setting up preliminary social networks outlining key roles, involving citizens in the development of the data and energy community activities to expand the involvement of people and the economic and environmental impact;
• Sharing the project learnings and outcomes.

Participatory governance models are essential for successful energy communities

Governance of energy community through capacity building. The pilots will focus their capacity-building on governance on private and public partnership for community benefits as part of a circular economy approach towards energy communities.

The pilots will focus their capacity-building on governance on:

• Private and public partnership for community benefits as part of a circular economy approach towards energy communities;
• Define scenarios and associated measures from an ecological, economic, and social point of view for the governance for social cohesion;
• Co-identifying critical situations where social dynamics significantly influence PED formation or performance, articulating social barriers/risks that need resolution;
• Capacity building training programme will be set up to engage local inhabitants in the management and running of their energy community, in particular, workshops with children and youngsters on environmental education.

A sustainable energy community is supported by a sustainable business model

Funding mechanism and business models in the implementation of PEDs/ECs
The task focuses on the development of the main business models and approaches for PEDs/ECs implementation, including good practices and bottlenecks in the system, with a primary focus on justice and inclusion.

• Based on the assessment of the status quo it will be possible.to develop scenarios with different sets of measures are developed for each community;
• Estimating energy performance data based on collected information. Parameterization of intervention scenarios, and occupant behaviour modelling of pilot cases to predict maladaptive behaviour.
• Community members will be involved in the definition of the most appropriate model for their neighbourhood cooperative, which will run Energy Community by creating professional skills to enter the market in the ecological transition.

Building on learnings is key to replicate in other contexts

The pilots will offer tangible guidelines and explore how the results could be replicated in the different city districts, and similar pilot scenarios such as community centres, social housing estates or industrial sites.

Replicability approaches will include;:

• A final selection of scenarios and associated measures based on the outcome of workshops with the communities  will serve the communities to define concrete strategies for the energy transformation and provide a blueprint for similar communities; 
• Description of PED co-design methodology, compiling library of interventions to minimize PED performance gaps and applications;