The role of local energy communities in Europe (Part One) – Josh Roberts (REScoop.eu)

Nicolò Rossetto (FSR Energy) and Josh Roberts (REScoop.eu) talk about the role of energy cooperatives in Europe and the role that local energy communities could play in the near future. According to Dr Roberts, citizens are getting more and more active in the energy markets, and they can play, via cooperatives and local communities, an important role in the energy transition. However, an adequate policy and regulatory framework are needed to ensure that both citizens and the whole energy system can benefit from the opportunities that new technological developments bring. The EU is important in this respect since it can promote a change in legislation that allows every European citizen to become a member of these communities, foster the energy transition and benefit from it. The proposal in the Clean Energy Package represents a potential breakthrough. However, energy communities are not a merely technical issue but should be based on the traditional principles of cooperatives, e.g. voluntary and democratic participation, social responsibility and the like. Clarifications on this point by the European co-legislators are needed.