Developing a transnational governance and holistic integrated services framework supporting the sustainability of European energy communities
The COMANAGE Project “Developing a transnational governance and holistic integrated services framework supporting the sustainability of European energy communities” funded by the LIFE programme (LIFE21-CET-ENERCOM-COMANAGE/101076753), is a strategic initiative born from the shared experience of the members of its partnership, actively engaged in the promotion of energy communities throughout the European Union. The project recognizes the challenges faced by citizen-led and publicly-owned energy community projects in gaining momentum and sustainability.
Following the implementation of the Clean Energy for all Europeans Package and the new role attributed to the active consumer under this legislation, these Communities are becoming central in Italy and Europe, contributing significantly to promoting environmental, social, and economic benefits, and to fighting energy poverty, despite still being extremely limited by legal obstacles, administrative, social and financial aspects that oppose its spread.
COMANAGE’s proposal is the direct result of this experience, aiming to overcome the main challenges that hinder the governance and management of citizen-led and publicly participatory energy community projects. This will be achieved through the development of a Methodological and Operational Framework for the Governance of Energy Communities and the provision to public authorities involved in such projects of a comprehensive set of integrated services, tools and supports aimed at simplifying the management and governance of energy communities and other energy initiatives based on citizen participation, promoting their growth and ensuring their sustainability in the medium and long term. This set of resources is known as the “Energy Communities Governance Toolkit”.
In this context, the project therefore aims to contribute to the creation of integrated management and governance services, tools and support mechanisms that facilitate the active and effective participation of local authorities in city initiatives on the energy transition, such as Energy Communities.
Objectives:
- Support the establishment of a transnational and multidisciplinary network, composed of experts in the field and facilitators, which allows the management and governance of projects on Energy Communities;
- Facilitate the creation and growth of energy communities;
- To train the staff of regional and local administrations on the issue of the management of Energy Communities;
- Reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions;
- Encourage investments in renewable energy sources.
Actions:
- Creation of a Toolkit for regional and local government staff on the management of Energy Communities, the ECGT (Energy Communities Governance Toolkit);
- Creation of the Operational Integrated Services Hubs, which will provide (online and offline) aggregation and services concerning the Communities;
- Training and outlining of knowledge enhancement programs regarding Energy Communities, with further support from an eLearning platform;
- Development of strategic recommendations on this topic and the possibility of replicating the results obtained in other territories.
