Increasing urban energy consumption, dependence on fossil fuels, lack of energy resources, and, last but not least, climate change. These are the main challenges to face to reach urban sustainability.

In order to reduce fossil fuel consumption and favor decentralized energy production it is fundamental to promote energy efficiency measures and the increase of the quota of energy from renewable energy sources (fer).

The rising spread of decentralized energy systems marks a new frontier on urban energy planning and design of local energy systems: cities and regions became sites not only of energy consumption but also of production and distribution. All of this requires a change in local energy infrastructure that can also consider the interdependence between territorial planning and energy transition. How? By addressing various aspects in a more exhaustive way: the definition of the urban energetic profile in relation to the shape, geometry and physical characteristics, the availability of data to support energy mapping tools and experimentation of decentralized energy systems that activate the transition in stages.

To do this, it is imperative to size renewable energy production plants and energy storage systems according to available surfaces, but most importantly reorganize consumption and maximize self-consumption with energy communities.

The European Union has set three main goals for 2030 in the fight against climate change: a 55% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to 1990; a 42,5% penetration of renewable energy sources in energy consumption; and a 38% reduction in primary energy consumption. To reach such goals, the citizens as well must become protagonists of the energy transition.

On November 30^th, 2016, the European Commission published the Clean Energy Package for all Europeans, in which the definition of Renewable energy community (REC) was added. The general goal is to promote the development and the acceptance of local renewable sources, energy efficiency, end-user market participation and affordable energy supply.

The REC is a non-profit legal entity to which individuals, small and medium businesses and public administrations can voluntarily join. In the energy community, the members can share the produced electricity (e.g. through photovoltaic panels). Four main figures will be part of it:
- the “prosumer”, an individual who owns a renewable energy production plant, connected to their own meter, with which they cover their own electricity needs and sells the surplus to the community;
- the “consumer”, the individual who doesn’t own a production plant but consumes the energy shared within the community;
- the “storer”, who owns the storage systems to store the energy; the financier, the individual whose concern is to invest for the development of the energy community;
- the “producer” , the individual outside the REC who offers their own production plant using renewable sources.

Energy communities bring social benefits to local communities and the national territory. They’re an excellent means to contrast vulnerability and energy poverty with positive environmental, economic and collective benefits. Moreover, they play an active role in energy requalification of existing facilities/structures.

Though what prompts citizens to join an energy community is the reduction in the cost of the bill. This happens because self-consumption of electricity is favored with the consequent decrease in the use of electricity drawn and purchased from the national grid.

In addition, one is entitled to state incentive tariffs, a monetary refund of the quota of energy that one shares with the community. In a similar manner, one can benefit from state incentives that provide the refund in 10 years of half the cost of installing new photovoltaic systems, i.e. 50% tax deductions for renovation work.

During project Auree developed by Sotacarbo, it is planned to implement on the portal www.auree.it the necessary tools for awareness and dissemination of REC in the municipality of Carbonia.

As of today, all the necessary activities have been carried out to define the specifics and the contents of the new dedicated section of the portal. Among other things, some examples of existing RECs and/or RECs in the process of being implemented in Italy (no. 19) and in Sardinia (no. 10) have been identified and described. The study also highlights the resulting environmental, social and economic benefits and the criticalities that limit the dissemination of the energy model. ELoria e GCau

Activity financed under the PTR 2022-2024 electricity system research fund.