Community energyDo you sometimes wish your local authority would be better equipped in community energy issues? And as a citizen, do you wish you could better connect with people in the local administrations to co-develop community energy projects?
On Monday, May 13th, as part of the European Energy Communities Forum in Prague, LIFE LOOP project partner REScoop.eu hosted a workshop titled “Match made in heaven – partnering up with municipalities.” This workshop gathering 50 community energy enthusiasts delved into the intricate dance of collaboration between municipalities and community energy initiatives.
Rallying allies
Three fascinating very different collaboration types were adressed during the workshop :
- Citizen-led: Minoan Energy Community (Greece)
- Local authority-led: Prague Energy Community (Czech Republic)
- Balanced approach: Energia Bonita (Spain)
No matter where in Europe, all these initiatives face challenges, ranging from technical, financial, and legal to social and organizational. A common theme is the lack of awareness in local authority teams as well as in the community. Additionally, frequent post-election changes in municipal leadership often stall ongoing community projects. An interesting observation made was that while citizens might claim they “want to do it,” they often expect the local authorities to take the lead.
Antonis Kozirakis from the Minoan Energy Community in Greece highlighted the importance of community-driven efforts: “The only way to achieve sustainability is through energy communities – we are the first and largest energy community in Greece.”
Miloslav Franĕk from the Prague Energy Community shared insights into their focus and the administrative challenges they face: “We focus mainly on installing PV on buildings, but this process is administratively heavy – but once you have it, it’s beautiful.”
Myriam Castanié from Energia Bonita in Spain emphasized the value of city-citizen partnerships: “Despite the ups and downs, it’s worth it that your energy community collaborates with local authorities. Energia Bonita is very young, but we already have a PV project built, and we are planning another seven. All our successes were thanks to the local authorities.”
“Like in any relationship, there are ups and downs, but energy communities and municipalities have to keep working together to build a great sustainable future.”
Sara Tachelet, REScoop.eu
Rollercoaster leading to success
However, the workshop was not all about hurdles and frustrations. Many positive stories emerged, highlighting how local authorities and citizen initiatives can become trusted allies. These success stories, demonstrated that if rollercoaster moments are combined with perseverance and mutual understanding, fruitful partnerships are possible.
The workshop also raised a provocative question: Does an initiative cease to be bottom-up if it is launched by the local authority? This sparked lively debate, reflecting the complex nature of community energy projects and the roles different stakeholders play.
Before leaving, participants got a glimpse of the LIFE LOOP accreditation scheme. This program is designed to recognise municipalities who get ready and engaged in community energy matters. The scheme’s Espresso training grows skills by offering municipalities online training sessions on community energy topics and by allowing them to self-assess their current community energy support. Municipalities who join the scheme gain access to valuable online resources and a networking platform that facilitates effective partnerships between municipalities, energy communities, and citizen-led initiatives (the Asset match-making tool). Participants of the session were invited to visit the Forum’s exhibition space where the LIFE LOOP Accreditation Scheme was also showcased for three days.
A need for resilient structures to make relationships flourish
Sara Tachelet from REScoop.eu encapsulated the spirit of the accreditation scheme stating, “Like in any relationship, there are ups and downs, but energy communities and municipalities have to keep working together to build a great sustainable future.”
Overall, the “Match made in heaven” workshop provided an excellent opportunity toward fostering better understanding and cooperation between municipalities and community energy projects. It underscored the importance of training, clear communication, and the need for resilient structures that can withstand the vicissitudes of political change.
