How Can We Frame Energy Communities’ Organisational Models? Insights from the Research ‘Community Energy Map’ in the Italian Context

Abstract

According to the early transposition of the EU directives by the Italian government, this paper presents some of the outcomes of the qualitative-led applied research titled Community Energy Map, aimed at identifying the main operational models and organisational frameworks put in place for the development of renewable energy communities (RECs). In this respect, the article discusses a threefold subdivision of organisational models to implement RECs: public lead, pluralist, and community energy builders’ model. Furthermore, the paper illustrates in detail three of the nine case studies dedicated to recently launched RECs, conducted through qualitative fieldworks, to investigate the social and local implications generated by these community-led initiatives. The article stresses the relevance of both the local scale and community-led initiatives in the pathway towards a fair and just energy transition, by discussing how RECs define new organisational models of distributed energy systems.

Niches Seeking Legitimacy: Notes about Social Innovation and Forms of Social Enterprise in the Italian Renewable Energy Communities

“…Italy provides some further insights into the intermediary functions. According to the tripartite division of the organizational models of RECs identified by De Vidovich, Tricarico and Zulianello [7,50], resulting in the 'public lead', 'pluralist' and 'community energy builder' (CEB) models, the latter category identifies a plurality of actors, coming mainly from the energy cooperative landscape or from academia, dedicated to the provision of technical, scientific and engineering services for the comprehensive implementation of REC projects, including forms of community engagement. In particular, the intermediary functions carried out by CEBs are developed within a composite set of actors that support various types of direct and indirect connection in innovation systems [48].…”

“…The modalities through which communities are organized respond to different business and organizational models [4,5], inspired by prodromal cooperative experiments that have influenced heterogeneous decentralized energy projects in the last two decades [6]. With reference to Italy-briefly explored in this article through a focus on the legal forms for creating an REC-three main models have been identified [7]: a 'public lead' model sees public administrations as key stakeholders for the development and management of the REC project, with a predominant top-down approach; the 'pluralist' model is based on a horizontal community model inspired by bottom-up and grassroots attitudes to involve members (including NGOs, energy service companies and third/sector actors), and prosumers who are already informed about local low-carbon energy transitions. The model of the 'Community Energy Builder' refers to the role played by intermediary actors [8,9] in supporting public administrations and other stakeholders to organize an REC project, involve civil society, and conduct the requested technical and scientific consultancies.…”

Business models for local energy market and circular economy establishment in municipalities: A case study in an Austrian municipality

“…Fenton et al [18] introduced processes for energy and climate strategy development in Swedish municipalities with systematic stakeholder involvement, while Turvey [19] emphasized that understanding the relationship between sustainability and local development strategies is crucial for implementing such. De Vidovich et al [20] identified key issues in developing valuable conditions for organizational and financial sustainability, whereas collaboration between different actors is crucial.…”

Mapping of Energy Communities in Europe: Status Quo and Review of Existing Classifications

“…Thus, collecting and analyzing aggregated data are crucial for identifying and disseminating best practices and know-how for local authorities, citizens, and citizen organizations that wish to set up ECs, particularly but not exclusively in MSs with less developed EC traditions. Most of the previous studies performed analyses based on the data for separate case studies and in specific cases at a country level [31][32][33][34][35][36][37][38][39].…”

“…• Initiating actor [33]; • Economic benefit for members (own design mixed with [39,40]); • Enabling policy (own design);…”