Energy Valorization Strategies in Rural Renewable Energy Communities: A Path to Social Revitalization and Sustainable Development

Cristina Sanz-Cuadrado, Luis Narvarte and Ana Belén Cristóbal ()
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Cristina Sanz-Cuadrado: Instituto de Energía Solar, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, C/Alan Turing s/n, 28031 Madrid, Spain
Luis Narvarte: Instituto de Energía Solar, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, C/Alan Turing s/n, 28031 Madrid, Spain
Ana Belén Cristóbal: Instituto de Energía Solar, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, C/Alan Turing s/n, 28031 Madrid, Spain

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 10, 1-28

Abstract: Energy communities led by local citizens are vital for achieving the European energy transition goals. This study examines the design of a regional energy community in a rural area of Spain, aiming to address the pressing issue of rural depopulation. Seven villages were selected based on criteria such as size, energy demand, population, and proximity to infrastructure. Three energy valorization scenarios, generating eight subscenarios, were analyzed: (1) self-consumption, including direct sale (1A), net billing (1B), and selling to other consumers (1C); (2) battery storage, including storing for self-consumption (2A), battery-to-grid (2B), and electric vehicle recharging points (2C); and (3) advanced options such as hydrogen refueling stations (3A) and hydrogen-based fertilizer production (3B). The findings underscore that designing rural energy communities with a focus on social impact—especially in relation to depopulation—requires an innovative approach to both their design and operation. Although none of the scenarios alone can fully reverse depopulation trends or drive systemic change, they can significantly mitigate the issue if social impact is embedded as a core principle. For rural energy communities to effectively tackle depopulation, strategies such as acting as an energy retailer or aggregating individual villages into a single, unified energy community structure are crucial. These approaches align with the primary objective of revitalizing rural communities through the energy transition.

Keywords: energy community; energy surplus; management; social impact; rural revitalization; self-consumption; battery storage; hydrogen storage; energy valorization (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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