Community energy allows the community to benefit
Ingrid Nielsen (Estonian Nature Foundation)

Recent years have brought a boom in rooftop solar panels. By the year 2035, it is estimated that there could be three times more of them on the roofs of Estonian homes than today, and cover a quarter of the household’s electricity consumption. Today, there are more than 15,000 producing consumers, but local production still has untapped opportunities that lie between individual and corporate activity – community energy. These are energy projects carried out on a cooperative basis that provide direct benefits to local communities.

Community energy initiatives can take many forms: they can be community-owned renewable energy installations (such as solar panels or wind turbines), provide charging services for electric vehicles or bicycles, or be energy efficiency programs or renovation services. They can also be community-based energy cooperatives that take care of heat management services or provide other services in the energy market.

The legislation contains two similar, but different in details options: renewable energy communities and citizens’ energy communities. However, they are united by the same principle – participation in them gives the opportunity to be present at the decisions on energy production and use and to influence how energy is produced and where its benefits go. As an energy consumer, we are passive market participants – electricity comes from the power socket and we pay the service provider for its consumption. However, through community energy, a large part of the decision-making remains at the local level – in addition to earning financial benefits, other benefits can also be determined. For example, an energy cooperative may decide that members receive services on more favorable or stable terms, cover common needs of the local community, or offer local value-added companies access to renewable energy sources.

Community energy production is placed in the immediate vicinity of the point of consumption or free surfaces are used, for example on roofs. Therefore, it does not have a strong negative impact on the natural environment. This reduces the pressure on nature and directly affects the reduction of energy losses. Local energy projects create jobs and contribute more money to the local economy. They also reduce dependence on central energy supplies, foster energy independence and resilience, especially in rural areas. Because energy issues involve a wider range of people than usual, community energy initiatives often include educational programs and awareness campaigns that increase energy awareness and efficiency. Finding solutions to similar problems, joint decisions and jointly found opportunities to finance projects promote social unity, bringing residents together around a shared goal, thus encouraging cooperation and mutual support. In conclusion, community energy offers communities the opportunity to manage their own energy future, bringing a range of social, economic and environmental benefits.

12 municipalities from Estonia, 22 rural municipalities from Spain and ten organizations participate in the energy communities project “Promoting the transition to renewable energy in rural energy communities” (EC4RURAL). The goal of the international project is to help local governments and communities transition to clean energy, while ensuring the active participation of rural areas and local communities.

During the project, which started in the fall of 2018, the creation of local renewable energy communities is being helped to strengthen energy independence, promote life in rural areas and reduce energy poverty, in addition, e-learning materials are created and a comprehensive training program is carried out for the local community. The project lasts four years.

If you want to learn more about community energy production, you are invited to participate in the opening seminar of the EC4RURAL project. More information can be found on the website of the Estonian LEADER Union https://leaderliit.eu/ec4rural and on the Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/eestileaderliit