Energy communities are open and voluntary entities, combining non-commercial aims with environmental and social community objectives.
There are 3 directives which describe the key elements of two types of Energy Communities.
Renewable Energy Communities and Citizen Energy communities.
The European Climate Pact is an EU-wide initiative inviting people, communities and organisations to participate in climate action and build a greener Europe.
The Covenant of Mayors is the world's largest movement for local climate and energy actions.
The initiative now gathers 9,000+ local and regional authorities across 57 countries drawing on the strengths of a worldwide multi-stakeholder movement and the technical and methodological support offered by dedicated offices.
The Rural Energy Community Advisory Hub (RECAH) can be seen as an extension of the Energy Communities Repository (ECR), with a special focus on helping to develop energy communities in rural areas.
ECR will cover energy communities in general terms covering both urban and rural energy communities, by:
- Collecting and analysing existing national legislation and enabling frameworks around energy communities.
- Establishing a database of energy communities (this will include both urban and rural communities, in collaboration with the RECAH.
- Carrying out an impact assessment of the energy communities mapped.
The two projects will have a differentiated approach as regards urban and rural energy communities when it comes to technical assistance, sharing of best practices and guidance documents. The ECR to urban energy communities. RECAH to rural energy communities
