As energy communities become more widespread and boost the practice of energy solidarity, governments need to adapt energy policy.
In launching (in 2020), the European Green Deal, the EU set the ambitious goal of making Europe the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050. Recognising the critical role of energy production and consumption – and the fact that current energy systems often create injustices for the most vulnerable citizens – the EU embedded into the deal the concept of a ‘just, clean energy transition’.
In fact, this built on the EU Clean Energy for All Europeans Package, which entered into force in 2019. A key element of this earlier package is that it gives all EU citizens the right to set up an energy community (EC) or to become part of one. It also recognised the important role ECs could play in tackling energy poverty by delivering locally generated clean energy. As with all EU frameworks, Member States have considerable latitude in deciding how they will achieve specific targets and establishing relative policy frameworks at national level. Not surprisingly, changing policy takes time and careful consideration of many factors. Adding the element of ‘energy justice’ also means thinking ‘across’ policy areas to examine, for instance, how energy and social policies interact.
At present, energy policy for energy solidarity is lacking. The criteria for establishing ECs vary widely, with some Member States embedding principles of energy solidarity and others still making it difficult for ECs to participate in national energy systems. In many cases, either within jurisdictions or across EU Member States, more effort is needed to achieve a level playing field for ECs in the energy system. Similarly, some Member States are implementing effective policies to ensure the transition is just by prioritising actions that lift vulnerable households out of energy poverty. Others still lack any clear definition of energy poverty and have made little effort to implement relevant strategies.
Six years after the Clean Energy for All Europeans Package came into force, Member States are advancing at different paces in fully recognising ECs as players in energy markets – and in meeting their legal obligation to ensure that ECs and their benefits are accessible to all, including low-income and vulnerable households. Fortunately, the Package also gave everyone the chance to be part of the change.
Tracking progress on policy adaptation
To help ECs, policy makers and other stakeholders across Europe accelerate and improve the process of transposing EU provisions into national legislation, REScoop.eu developed the Transposition Tracker. This online tool ‘scores’ EU countries on different indicators to show where they are making progress or perhaps lagging. Indicators currently being tracked cover diverse areas, including whether policies are in place to promote the participation of low-income and vulnerable households in ECs.
A sub-tool, the Financing Tracker sheds light on whether and how Member States are using EU public funds – specifically the Recovery & Resilience Fund (RRF), the Cohesion Fund, Modernisation Funds and monies available through REPowerEU – to support ECs. Establishing enabling frameworks to facilitate ECs’ access to finance is part of the Member States’ obligations. To date, under-absorption and exclusion of smaller actors in the process of implementing these funds remain important issues.
Aside from tapping into vital information, ECs can use such trackers and other related documents to push their national and local governments to ‘step up their game’. Also, these tools typically include good practice examples that can be adopted or adapted as needed in other contexts.
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