Cross-Case Analysis of the Energy Communities in Spain, Italy, and Greece: Progress, Barriers, and the Road Ahead

Luisa Losada-Puente (), José Antonio Blanco, Adina Dumitru, Ioannis Sebos, Aggelos Tsakanikas, Ioanna Liosi, Stelios Psomas, Mariangela Merrone, Diego Quiñoy and Eduardo Rodríguez
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Luisa Losada-Puente: Department of Specific Didactics and Research Methods and Diagnosis in Education, Faculty of Educational Studies, University of A Coruña, 15008 A Coruña, Spain
José Antonio Blanco: Department of Public Law, Faculty of Law, University of A Coruña, 15008 A Coruña, Spain
Adina Dumitru: Department of Psychology, Faculty of Educational Studies, University of A Coruña, 15008 A Coruña, Spain
Ioannis Sebos: School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 106 82 Athens, Greece
Aggelos Tsakanikas: School of Chemical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 106 82 Athens, Greece
Ioanna Liosi: EUDITI LTD—Energy and Environmental Design, 114 71 Athens, Greece
Stelios Psomas: EUDITI LTD—Energy and Environmental Design, 114 71 Athens, Greece
Mariangela Merrone: ASSISTAL—Associazione Nazionale Costruttori di Impianti e dei Servizi di Efficienza Energetica—ESCo e Facility Management, 00198 Rome, Italy
Diego Quiñoy: Fundación Centro Tecnológico de Eficiencia y Sostenibilidad Energética EnergyLab, 36310 Vigo, Spain
Eduardo Rodríguez: Fundación Centro Tecnológico de Eficiencia y Sostenibilidad Energética EnergyLab, 36310 Vigo, Spain

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 18, 1-20

Abstract: The current regulatory context for the energy sector and in which Energy Communities operate is fragmented and unclear in most EU countries. Although some initiatives have existed in Northern Europe for some time, this concept is considered relatively new. Indeed, EU legislation has only recently recognised Energy Communities through EU Directives 2018/2001 and 2019/944. In the framework of the Erasmus+ EU project EU-NETs (Grant Number KA220-VET-62435110), this qualitative research gathered information regarding the current adaptability and applicability of directives within national legislation, together with the legal and administrative frameworks in Spain, Italy, and Greece. Desk research and semi-structured interviews with 20 key informants from Spain, Italy, and Greece were conducted. Cross-case analysis was focused on the regulatory framework for ECs, its structure, and the models of governance. The results showed that the process of harmonisation of renewable energy legislation has not yet been completed in Southern Europe, with notable differences in the degree of implementation between countries.

Keywords: energy communities; renewable energy policies; governance; European Union; cross-national analysis (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 (1)

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