New reports highlight the successful efforts of rural energy communities in Italy, Germany and The Netherlands

RECAH has recently released two new reports as part of its collection of best practice case studies of rural energy communities across Europe.

Seven reports are now available, and each offers a comprehensive breakdown of the selected community, including their objectives, motivations, and establishment process, along with details about their activities and technologies, organisational structure, and decision-making procedure.

The reports also delve into financial and investment considerations and analyse each community's environmental, economic, and social benefits.

The following reports can now be downloaded from the RECAH website:

• Rural energy community best practice: Buurtmolen Tzum, Netherlands – This community prioritises local residents by offering them co-ownership status through a minimal membership fee, strategically utilising the national subsidies and significant backing from Fund Clean Frisian Energy
• Rural energy community best practice: Roseto Valfortore, Italy –This communityaims to increase self-consumption to cover 100% of its citizens. It has a unique ‘leasing model’ that reduces the initial financial burden on the community
• Rural energy community best practice: Wildpoldsried, Germany – This community generates renewable energy from a mix of sources and has a successful financial model, as well as stakeholder and community engagement
• Rural energy community best practice: Nafarkoop Energía Sociedad Cooperativa de Iniciativa Social, Basque Country, Spain – This community provides technical assistance to various renewable energy initiatives in the region
• Rural energy community best practice: Viure del laire – EOLPOP, Catalonia, Spain – This community successfully installed and operates a wind turbine with the assistance of the local municipality
• Rural energy community best practice: Bad Hindelang, Germany – This community generates electricity from a hydropower plant and operates as a cooperative utility company
• Rural energy community best practice: Éolienne citoyenne de Chamole, France – This community operates a wind turbine joint owned by the local commune, a purpose-built citizen cooperative, a citizen territorial tool, a regional company, and a national fund

Henry Groenen, Senior Consultant working on the RECAH initiative and author of the Roseto Valfortore best practice report, said: ‘These reports analyse and examine the transferability of drivers and success factors of existing rural energy communities, making them a valuable resource for anyone interested in setting up and maintaining an energy community themselves.’

Further best practice reports are under development to showcase the following European rural energy communities:

• Energy Coop Novi Otok, Croatia – The Novi Otok Citizens Association, founded in 2012, aims to improve life on the island of Korčula, emphasising nature preservation and sustainable development
• Minoan Energy, Greece – Minoan Energy is a cooperative made up of private individuals and local businesses, which, with the support of the Region of Crete and many other municipalities, aims to play an important part in implementing Crete’s democratic and efficient energy transition
• Allons en vent, Belgium –This community places an emphasis on engaging children and young people in the energy transition, with parents and guardians sponsoring their children to become members
• Le 3 case dell'energia di Serrenti, Italy – The Municipality of Serrenti is a concrete example of smart and green administration and how public actors can positively influence the energy transition at the local level
• EEB: Biogas plant ‘Biogasanlage’ Paring, Germany –The rural energy community Erzeugergemeinschaft für Energie in Bayern eG (EEB eG) is a cooperative owned by local small and rural renewable energy producers that operate photovoltaic (PV), wind, and biogas plants
• Hvide Sande Fjernvarme A.m.b.A., Denmark – This cooperative company was founded in 1963 with the primary purpose of creating a co-owned heating plant to provide affordable heating to the company’s shareholders, and also to undertake technical and administrative tasks in supplying heating for other major companies

Energy community members and others wanting to stay informed about the release of upcoming reports should subscribe to our mailing list and keep an eye on the @Energy4Europe Twitter feed.