Policymakers from across the EU and the UK are promoting the creation of more Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) as European countries deliver on their commitments to the Paris Agreement. Across northwestern Europe, experts estimate there are now more than 10,000 community energy associations, mainly in Germany, Denmark, Belgium, the Netherlands and the UK. Members invest their money in solar power, wind power, small hydroelectric plants, bioenergy, and even combined heat and power plants (categorization of renewable energy ); Spain and Italy in southern Europe have also launched their first model community.
Germany
The famous renewable energy community in Germany is located in Wildpoldsried, a small town in Bavaria, southern Germany. Twenty years ago, Wildpoldsried was just a veritable “small town”. The residents here were mainly herdsmen. The lack of job opportunities caused many young people to leave here. Today, a cluster of buildings covered with solar photovoltaics makes the town the most successful renewable energy town in Germany. The town uses wind power generation, solar power generation and biomass power generation facilities to produce 43 million kWh of electricity, while the total electricity needed for transportation and life of local residents is only 6.2 million kWh—the amount of energy produced is its consumption 7 times!
Next is Heilbronn, an old medieval market town on the Neckar River in the southwest, where solar panels adorn the roofs of homes, kindergartens and schools, municipal buildings and factory halls in a city of 126,000 people. Heilbronn Community Energy One of 900 community energy cooperatives in Germany that sell renewable energy to German households or businesses, the town’s cooperatives and other collectively owned clean energy account for about one-third of Heilbronn’s combined output One household provides electricity.
Italy
Italy’s first renewable energy sharing community is located in a small town called Magliano Alpi in the northwest Piedmont region. This sharing community uses solar energy as the main power generation mode. It relies on public funds to establish a solar power generation network to meet half of the needs. The energy needs of residents, the ultimate goal is that the entire city is covered by clean electricity. Due to the small size of the city, few residents, and low building density, Magliano Alpi has become the first choice for the Italian renewable energy sharing community demonstration site. Smart meters and opt-in management systems will be installed in buildings across the city, and a traffic management platform will be created to monitor energy consumption in buildings.
France
Sweden
In 2001, Mayor Ilmar of Malmö started to build an eco-friendly demonstration area on the base of an old shipyard, and now the world-famous “City of Tomorrow” (BoO1) community has been built. It is Sweden’s first zero-carbon community and the world’s largest urban housing complex powered by 100% renewable energy. The community covers an area of about 30 hectares, can accommodate 1,000 households, and all energy suppliers use renewable energy.
Spain
Spain’s first renewable energy sharing community, Solmatch, was launched in June 2020. This community built by the Spanish energy giant Repsol is committed to providing customers with 100% clean electricity through solar energy, thereby providing more practical experience for distributed energy generation in Spain.
Redefining clean electricity
Renewable energy power generation sharing is a transformative energy model that provides a new concept of self-consumption, allowing energy consumption terminal groups to have more autonomy. This new urban energy model can not only promote local economic development, but also contribute to local sustainable development, and stakeholders do not need to make any investment.
If the renewable energy sharing community is defined as a market segment, it undoubtedly possesses several attributes of a market with potential for development, namely, huge customer demand, potential for scale growth, long-term sustainability, and a good return on capital. Clearly, the renewable energy sharing community is redefining clean electricity, and both businesses and individuals can play a key role in improving climate change.
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