Implementing European Union Provisions and Enabling Frameworks for Renewable Energy Communities in Nine Countries: Progress, Delays, and Gaps

Michael Krug (), Maria Rosaria Di Nucci, Lucas Schwarz, Irene Alonso, Isabel Azevedo, Massimo Bastiani, Anna Dyląg, Erik Laes, Arthur Hinsch, Gaidis Klāvs, Ivars Kudreņickis, Pouyan Maleki, Gilda Massa, Erika Meynaerts, Stavroula Pappa and Karina Standal
Additional contact information
Michael Krug: Research Center for Sustainability, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Maria Rosaria Di Nucci: Research Center for Sustainability, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Lucas Schwarz: Research Center for Sustainability, Freie Universität Berlin, 14195 Berlin, Germany
Irene Alonso: ECORYS España, S.L, 28004 Madrid, Spain
Isabel Azevedo: Institute of Science and Innovation in Mechanical and Industrial Engineering (INEGI), Campus da FEUP, 4200-465 Porto, Portugal
Massimo Bastiani: ECOAZIONI, 06024 Gubbio, Italy
Anna Dyląg: Polish National Energy Conservation Agency (KAPE), 00-697 Warszawa, Poland
Erik Laes: Vlaamse Instelling Voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO), 2400 Mol, Belgium
Arthur Hinsch: ICLEI-Local Governments for Sustainability, European Secretariat, Freiburg Office, 79098 Freiburg, Germany
Gaidis Klāvs: Institute of Physical Energetics, LV−1006 Rīga, Latvia
Ivars Kudreņickis: Institute of Physical Energetics, LV−1006 Rīga, Latvia
Pouyan Maleki: ECORYS España, S.L, 28004 Madrid, Spain
Gilda Massa: National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA), 00196 Rome, Italy
Erika Meynaerts: Vlaamse Instelling Voor Technologisch Onderzoek (VITO), 2400 Mol, Belgium
Stavroula Pappa: REScoop.eu vzw, European Federation of Citizen Energy Cooperatives, 1030 Brussels, Belgium
Karina Standal: Center for International Climate Research (CICERO), 0349 Oslo, Norway

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 11, 1-29

Abstract: With the Clean Energy for all Europeans legislative package, the European Union (EU) aimed to put consumers “at the heart” of EU energy policy. The recast of the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II) acknowledged the importance of energy communities for the energy transition and introduced new provisions for renewable energy communities (RECs), empowering them to participate in the energy market. This article analyses the progress of transposing and implementing key provisions of the RED II that apply to RECs in nine European countries and focuses on timeliness and completeness of transposition. It comprises both a qualitative and quantitative assessment covering (1) the definition, rights, and market activities of RECs; (2) key elements of enabling frameworks; and (3) consideration of REC specificities in support schemes for renewable energy. The analysis shows considerable variation in transposition performance between the analysed countries. The authors investigate the reasons for this variation and relate them to findings of European implementation and compliance research. Key factors identified include actor-related and capacity-related factors, institutional fit, and characteristics of the RED II itself. Future research in this field needs multi-faceted avenues and should pay particular attention to the influence of national governments and incumbents, not only in the transposition process, but already in upstream policy formulation at the European level.

Keywords: community energy; renewable energy communities; energy citizenship; European Union; energy policy; policy making; implementation; transposition; compliance (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

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