Technical Aspects (Technicalities)

Energy Communities aim to self-organize around energy-related activities to provide services or other socio-economic benefits to the members and the local community. To achieve this, they can focus on a great variety of activities using different types of technologies to achieve their goals.

Although most of the Energy Communities in Europe focus on renewable energy production activities, in recent years they have been progressively extending their scope to include other solutions in the field of energy (efficiency, supply, distribution, storage). At this point, we wish to emphasize that the different technologies, size/scale, location, planning and impact assessment of the deployment of these technologies are crucial in ensuring that they serve the needs and possibilities of the community without negatively impacting the surrounding environment. In this case, technologies serve as a tool to accomplish the communities’ vision.

Energy Production

Renewable energy installations within the region in which the Energy Community (EC) operates to meet the energy needs of its members and consumers. These projects contribute to the decentralization of energy production and can strengthen the participatory role of local communities.

OVERVIEW

In the following chart, you can see renewable energy options where technologies applicable on a community scale can be implemented.

Solar

The majority of community energy projects in Europe are solar. It is the preferred technology due to its availability, modularity, lower cost and simpler planning processes.
In Southern Europe, solar energy potential is particularly high, providing significant advantages for implementing solar-powered projects.

SOLAR POWER TECHNOLOGIES

SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAIC (PV) SYSTEMS: They convert solar radiation into electricity through photovoltaic cells. PV systems can greatly vary in size and can be installed either on buildings (residences, livestock farms, agricultural warehouses, etc.) or on the ground.

There are two major types of solar PV systems:

SOLAR THERMAL SYSTEMS

They convert solar radiation into heat through the use of a collector based on the heat transmission properties. The most common applications of solar thermal systems include the production of hot water, space heating, and drying of agricultural products/biomass.

EXAMPLES:

• Minoan Energy Community (Greece) has developed 2 Solar PV parks, one of 405kWp and one of 1MWp and uses virtual net metering for self-consumption.
• Hyperion (Greece) developed their first project consisting of a 500kWp solar PV park, powering more than 120 members, 9 vulnerable households and 2 social centres generating based on collective self-consumption generating more than 90.000 kWh /year.

CHECK OUT Solar energy data tools and resources:

• Global Solar Atlas: Solar resource and photovoltaic power potential data
• PVGIS: PV performance and solar radiation tools
• PVsyst: Software that offers a user-friendly approach with a guide to developing a PV project
• Sun Path 3D: Generates 3D sun path diagrams for your location including annual and daily solar maps

Biomass

Biomass can be a renewable fuel when it comes as a by-product of other processes. It is a versatile resource that can be used to produce heat or hot water, biofuels, fertilizer, electricity or a combination of heat and electricity (CPH-Combined Heat and Power). It is considered a renewable source when it comes from sources such as:

• Forest residues;
• Food waste;
• Agricultural and Farming residues (e.g. branches, cuttings, vines, manure etc.);
• Wood processing by-products (such as wood chips, and sawdust).

When burning wood or other organic matter you are emitting CO2, but the idea is that this carbon will eventually be absorbed by new growth that replaces what is being burned. This part is crucial to ensure that the use of biomass remains a part of the closed carbon cycle instead of contributing to additional carbon emissions!
This is why biomass should only be used as part of the solution when the community can ensure that local resources are sustainably managed.

Southern European countries have a significant biomass potential, mainly consisting of large quantities of agricultural and forest residues. The available biomass potential can be used for energy production (heat and/or electricity and biofuel) either directly through combustion or after processing into gas, liquid and/or solid fuels.

EXAMPLE:

• The Energy Community of Karditsa (ESEK), operates a pellet factory that processes residual biomass into 1,200 tons of pellets annually. The biomass is composed of forest residues, agricultural residues, urban tree prunings, etc. coming from the region. The pellets produced are used for heating or cooling and its 350 members enjoy the benefit of acquiring these pellets at a reduced price, creating a localised and sustainable energy solution.

CHECK OUT:

• May success story: Creating value and social impact with residual biomass
• GREEN EMPOWERMENT: Tubular domestic-scale biogas digester manual
• IRENA: Measuring small-scale biogas capacity and production

Wind Energy

Mainly used in electricity generation, where wind turbines convert the kinetic energy of the wind into mechanical and then into electrical energy. Wind turbines can be installed either on land, in suitable locations to ensure their efficient operation and aesthetically acceptable integration into the environment, or at some distance from the coast in the sea (offshore).

A wind park can produce a significant amount of energy. An average onshore wind turbine can produce more than 6 million kWh in a year supplying 1,500 households with electricity. Wind can be an important tool to replace fossil fuels that destabilise our climate.

Key considerations when thinking about wind energy:

• Does the geography in your local area suit wind?
• Do legal rules support or block the project, or make it unprofitable?
• How would you transport a turbine to your region?

In most countries, maps of wind speeds can help you understand how feasible a turbine would be in an area. It’s also important to note that turbines are often forbidden close to military bases, airports or gas pipelines.

CHECK OUT:

• European wind atlas
• Best practice cases from the Win wind project
• A report around fostering social acceptance for wind power
• Just Wind 4 All
• Small wind systems

Hydroelectric Power

One of the oldest methods of energy production, historically used for tasks such as powering flour mills and oil presses. Modern hydroelectric projects harness the energy of flowing water to generate electricity. This process typically involves the kinetic energy of water being converted into mechanical energy through the rotation of a turbine impeller, which in turn is transformed into electrical energy via a generator. When sufficient water resources and rainfall are available, hydropower becomes a valuable renewable energy source.

While large-scale hydro projects can negatively impact communities and the environment, small-scale community projects, when carefully planned and executed, avoid these issues as they use the natural flow of rivers or streams without requiring significant water obstruction or the construction of large dams, making them environmentally compatible and sustainable.

There are two main types of hydropower schemes: high head and low head. High-head schemes need water falling from a height greater than 10 meters, are often found in mountainous areas and are generally more cost-effective per kilowatt due to reduced civil engineering needs. Low-head schemes involve large volumes of water falling from a height of less than 10 meters, such as those at old mills. The choice depends largely on the local geography.

WHAT YOU NEED:

• Good (or reliable) rainfall,
• Adequate volumetric flow and/or water pressure, (determines the amount of possible power),
• Good environmental performance, ensuring the scheme will not significantly harm natural life in the stream, river or shores,
• A water source,
• A water transport system, to channel the water,
• A flow control system,
• A turbine and generator,
• An outflow of water.

CHECK OUT:

• Technical solutions for the small hydropower sector
• Community Hydroelectricity Station

How to choose energy sources

When an Energy Community is looking to develop an energy project, a key step is the assessment of the available local resources and energy potential to identify solutions that are the most suitable for the location’s specific characteristics. This assessment can happen through the collaboration of EC members and consultants/ specialists in this area (in the case that this skill doesn’t exist within the EC).

You can start with one type of technology and add others at a later stage.

Key considerations when developing community projects

1. Understand the needs and prioritizing: Exploring solutions begins and ends with the members of the community.
2. High tech, low tech or a combination?: Sometimes the smartest, environmentally and financially sustainable solutions can be the simplest. By deploying high-tech solutions without ensuring the community’s capacity to maintain its efficient function, we risk the failure of the project.
3. What happens after?: Make sure to plan for all stages including planning, installation and maintenance.

Technical considerations when selecting energy sources and technologies

• Desired final output: What do you need your system to deliver? Heat, Biofuel, Electricity? How much?
• Availability of input resources: The location you choose will have an impact on production. Depending on the natural but also regulatory context, the best resource might be solar, wind, biomass, hydropower, geothermal power, or a mix of those. Make sure to ask: Is this resource available where and when I need it?
  For example, when designing a solar energy system, factors such as solar radiation (quality & quantity), local topography, orientation and shading obstacles of the implementation site need to be known and assessed. Even though as a resource it is infinite and renewable, it has variable properties. Its availability is different for different places at different times. These are circumstances that we humans cannot control. These factors that affect the availability, quality and quantity of solar energy affect the way that we input energy and design systems, applications and devices.
• Permits and legal obligations: Permits can pose a significant roadblock for your project. Make sure to check with your local authorities about any restrictions and processes you need to account for and take action in advance.
• Supply and Distribution: How does the energy produced reach the beneficiaries?
• Safety & ease of use.
• Cost (including maintenance).
• Social & Environmental Impact.
• Efficiency.

TIP: Don’t hesitate to ask for advice. Sometimes, even if the people you reach out to don’t know the answer they can help you figure things out together. Check out if there are nearby community energy groups you could speak to for advice and have a look at the Support System Aspect of this Guide.

EXAMPLES:

• Coopernico (Portugal): One way that the cooperative works is that it rents the roofs of socially-orientated institutions for its PV projects, providing those institutions with extra income. At the end of the lease, the co-operative will offer the solar apparatus to the hosting institutions for free. The energy produced on these rooftops is fed into the grid and bought by the distributor at a fixed price. Coopérnico is also active in the retail sector, which means that they can directly sell electricity to their members at a fair price, guaranteeing that the amount of electricity produced by Coopérnico’s projects is more than the one consumed by its members. This is part of what has allowed them to become very successful.
• Som Energia (Spain) built its solar installations and worked on new renewable production projects with its local groups. The goal was to produce enough electricity to meet 100% of the members’ consumption. Consumers supplied by Som Energia are not just customers but co-owners of the cooperative, who participate in decision-making. They can also invest directly in the development of renewable energy. Som Energia combines the cooperative model, people’s commitment and renewable energy generation in an inspiring way, offering every person in Spain the chance to participate in the transition and invest directly in renewable projects to develop a sustainable economy, a growing grassroots demand.

Energy Efficiency

Energy Efficiency refers to the practice of using less energy for the same output, and minimising energy waste. It is a key component in developing a sustainable and low-carbon energy system, as it helps reduce overall energy demands. For energy communities, focusing on energy efficiency can help balance consumption with renewable energy production, making it an ideal area of activity.

Energy Communities can play a significant role in promoting energy efficiency through various initiatives. They can help combat energy poverty by providing affordable or even free energy services to both members and non-members and vulnerable and low-income households, focusing on savings measures in the building sector, such as improving insulation, replacing windows, and upgrading lighting systems. Encouraging community members to invest in energy-saving measures can also help them reduce their energy bills, fostering trust and expertise within the community.

Many national and European transition scenarios emphasize the importance of energy efficiency, and studies have shown that membership in Energy Communities can lead to significant reductions in personal energy consumption.

EXAMPLE:

• Som Energia (Spain) is using interactive invoicing called ‘InfoEnergia’ to inform its members about their private energy consumption. Instead of just sending invoices Som Energia also sends reports on the energy use of their customers. In this report, customers are compared with similar household benchmarks, in previous periods. They also get personalized energy-saving tips. Through targeted tips and tricks, the cooperative helps its members reduce their average energy consumption.

CHECK OUT:

• The revised Energy Efficiency Directive (EU/2023/1791) significantly raises the EU’s ambition for energy efficiency.
• POWERPOOR: Energy Poverty Guidebook for Energy Planning.

Energy Supply

More and more energy communities chose to operate as an energy supplier. There are different ways to do this: some initiatives produce their electricity and sell it to their clients, and some buy and aggregate renewable energy from other producers for their members.

Becoming a cooperative energy supplier comes with its challenges, linked to regulations, the influence of established market actors, and financial limitations, among others. Don’t despair if your community hits a hurdle. It’s completely normal, and with the help of other cooperatives, you’ll find a solution!

EXAMPLES:

• Coopérnico (Portugal) is the first cooperative energy producer and supplier in Portugal supplying energy to members and clients from their own RE projects. So far, the cooperative has nearly 800 clients. Similar business models have been put forward by many other energy cooperatives.
• Enostra (Italy) produces and purchases energy from renewable energy plants, favouring production companies linked to local communities, promoting the growth of the share of energy from renewable sources in the national energy mix and then supplying it to its members and clients.

Energy Distribution

The ability to use the electricity, heat or cooling energy produced from RES is based on the existence of appropriate infrastructure, through which the transport and distribution of energy from the points of production to the points of consumption (e.g. homes, businesses, schools, industries, etc.) takes place.

Where legislation allows, an EC can invest in infrastructure (transmission lines, substations, distribution lines and/or hydraulic networks ) to develop a system where energy production is located closer to the centers of consumption.

DISTRIBUTION SYSTEMS

• Community microgrids: Distribution networks that include distributed generation units with small rated power (e.g. rooftop PV, small wind turbines, hydro, etc.), energy storage systems and controlled local loads. A key feature of microgrids is their centralised control so that they are presented to the central grid as a single entity and they can be operated as part of the grid or independently. (e.g. autonomous small island networks).
• Smart grids: Microgrids that can be controlled and optimised in real-time. They offer increased potential, as they allow for increased penetration of renewable energy and/or cogeneration while distributing energy efficiently based on consumer needs.
• Self-consumption: Energy Communities can install small RES plants to reduce the cost of energy to meet their needs, benefiting from the implementation of energy production-consumption offsetting schemes (e.g. self-production with virtual energy trading, energy trading, etc.).

Energy Storage

One of the main challenges of a system that depends on RES is that they are not always available on demand (e.g. electricity generation from PV plants depends on sun availability) This creates the need to store the energy produced to meet energy needs. An Energy Community can opt to develop energy storage infrastructure using storage technologies and solutions which include capacitors, electric accumulators, compressed air storage systems, hydroelectric pumped storage facilities, etc. The use of storage systems significantly increases the cost, maintenance needs and conversion losses.