Energy Communities – Local Ownership of Power

Introduction

Energy Cities (France), Electra (Greece), ZEZ (Croatia), Cooperativa de Energie (Romania), and REScoop.eu (Belgium) have developed an innovative programme to enable local authorities and regions to achieve their sustainable energy plans and strategies by catalysing new community energy partnerships and projects.

Pilot Areas

This initiative will enable a step change in community energy in three pilot areas:

• Crete in Greece
• Zagreb in Croatia, with direct support from REGEA energy authority
• Bistrita in Romania

Replication

Replication will be undertaken by five satellite authorities:

1. Gabrovo in Bulgaria
2. Nicosia in Cyprus
3. Tulcea in Romania
4. Ussaramanna in Italy
5. Villanovaforru in Italy

Wider replication will take place via associated partners in:

• Kosovo
• N. Macedonia
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• Croatia
• Serbia

Project Objectives

The project will:

• Build capacity, empowering local and regional government, local citizens, and other stakeholders to work together to develop and achieve clean community energy objectives through new partnerships and projects.
• Unlock and utilize existing and new sources of funding to create new community energy initiatives.
• Simplify and reduce regulatory hurdles for community energy development in municipalities, adapting local policy where possible.
• Incentivise wider participation through the development of a ‘community energy-friendly’ training and award programme for municipalities, resource library, and matchmaking tools.

Inclusion and Energy Justice

Ensuring that people of all genders and abilities are empowered to participate on equal terms and embedding energy justice in the approach of new and existing energy initiatives is fundamental to the programme.

Focus Areas

LIFE LOOP will focus on community solar generation and energy efficiency whilst exploring opportunities for:

• Wind
• Biomass
• Micro-hydro
• Clean transport