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Policy challenges to community energy in the EU : A systematic review of the scientific literature

Busch, Henner LU orcid ; Ruggiero, Salvatore ; Isakovic, Aljosa and Hansen, Teis LU orcid (2021) In Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 151.
Abstract

In response to the ongoing climate crisis, many countries have issued policies to support the uptake of renewable energy. In the same vein, the European Union (EU) has issued a revised renewable energy directive in 2018. One of the pillars of the directive is the support for community energy initiatives, i.e. sustainable energy initiatives run by or with the participation of citizens. The concept of community energy (CE) has been linked to a number of advantages, such as strengthening local democratic processes or economic development for marginalised communities. The aim of this review article is to find out how past policies helped to overcome or aggravated transition challenges towards a higher share of community energy in the EU. To... (More)

In response to the ongoing climate crisis, many countries have issued policies to support the uptake of renewable energy. In the same vein, the European Union (EU) has issued a revised renewable energy directive in 2018. One of the pillars of the directive is the support for community energy initiatives, i.e. sustainable energy initiatives run by or with the participation of citizens. The concept of community energy (CE) has been linked to a number of advantages, such as strengthening local democratic processes or economic development for marginalised communities. The aim of this review article is to find out how past policies helped to overcome or aggravated transition challenges towards a higher share of community energy in the EU. To answer this question, we reviewed the scientific literature on community energy from the last decade. We analysed this body through a theoretical lens that highlights four main transition challenges. These occur in relation to 1) directionality, 2) demand articulation, 3) experimentation, 4) policy learning & coordination. Our results show that visions and goals are important policy tools for providing directionality in the energy transition. Feed-in-tariffs (FiT) surface as the most important policy to support community energy projects and spark demand. We found very little indication for a link between community energy and explicit experimentation. Nevertheless, learning does take place amongst peers. Our review underlined the important role intermediaries play in facilitating policy learning and coordination. We conclude by presenting a number of concrete policy recommendations such as strengthening intermediary organisations and providing administrative support to community energy initiatives in case of changes in the policy framework.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Community energy, Directionality, Energy policy, Renewable energy, Transition challenges
in
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
volume
151
article number
111535
publisher
Elsevier
external identifiers
  • scopus:85111923115
ISSN
1364-0321
DOI
10.1016/j.rser.2021.111535
project
Co2mmunity - Co-producing and co-financing renewable community energy projects
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
d9ebaa03-90bb-4ff3-bcde-f6644356ddd6
date added to LUP
2021-09-03 11:21:22
date last changed
2022-04-19 07:54:50
@article{d9ebaa03-90bb-4ff3-bcde-f6644356ddd6,
  abstract     = {{<p>In response to the ongoing climate crisis, many countries have issued policies to support the uptake of renewable energy. In the same vein, the European Union (EU) has issued a revised renewable energy directive in 2018. One of the pillars of the directive is the support for community energy initiatives, i.e. sustainable energy initiatives run by or with the participation of citizens. The concept of community energy (CE) has been linked to a number of advantages, such as strengthening local democratic processes or economic development for marginalised communities. The aim of this review article is to find out how past policies helped to overcome or aggravated transition challenges towards a higher share of community energy in the EU. To answer this question, we reviewed the scientific literature on community energy from the last decade. We analysed this body through a theoretical lens that highlights four main transition challenges. These occur in relation to 1) directionality, 2) demand articulation, 3) experimentation, 4) policy learning &amp; coordination. Our results show that visions and goals are important policy tools for providing directionality in the energy transition. Feed-in-tariffs (FiT) surface as the most important policy to support community energy projects and spark demand. We found very little indication for a link between community energy and explicit experimentation. Nevertheless, learning does take place amongst peers. Our review underlined the important role intermediaries play in facilitating policy learning and coordination. We conclude by presenting a number of concrete policy recommendations such as strengthening intermediary organisations and providing administrative support to community energy initiatives in case of changes in the policy framework.</p>}},
  author       = {{Busch, Henner and Ruggiero, Salvatore and Isakovic, Aljosa and Hansen, Teis}},
  issn         = {{1364-0321}},
  keywords     = {{Community energy; Directionality; Energy policy; Renewable energy; Transition challenges}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Elsevier}},
  series       = {{Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews}},
  title        = {{Policy challenges to community energy in the EU : A systematic review of the scientific literature}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2021.111535}},
  doi          = {{10.1016/j.rser.2021.111535}},
  volume       = {{151}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}