Investigating mechanisms of collective action initiatives’ development in the energy sector. Report on the comparative case studies, COMETS H2020 project

One of the emergent trends in the sustainable energy transition is the development of distributed power generation. In Europe, it is estimated that up half of citizens of the European Union (EU) could be energy self-sufficient, potentially supplying 45% of Europe’s final energy demand by 2050 (Kampman, et al., 2016). While there are many challenges with a move towards more distributed, citizen-led energy projects, they are nevertheless supported and promoted by the EU in the RED II (EU Renewable Energy Directive as part of the 2016 “Clean Energy of all Europeans” initiative, directive 2018/2001/EU), which secures the right for citizens and communities to produce, store, consume and sell renewable energy, and other rights such as consumer’s protection or access to all energy markets directly or through third parties. Socially, this often takes the form of community energy projects in the form of collective action initiatives (CAI). CAIs, which include energy cooperatives, prosumer networks, and other citizen-led energy projects, are examples of social innovation (Gregg, et al., 2020) in how they organize and gain power through a social movement mechanism. Social innovation is the development of activities and services to meet a social need, and social innovations are primarily social in both their ends and their means. Among other things, energy CAIs are typically characterized by a focus on the community, open and voluntary participation, democratic governance, and autonomy and independence (ICA, 2021). The social benefits of energy CAIs include: developing local economies, addressing energy poverty, raising awareness about sustainable energy, promoting energy justice, giving a voice to the community, developing local skills and promoting social cohesion. Current research on CAIs explores how they are defined and the different ownership structures (Gorroño-Albizu, 2019), and how they mobilize and attain power (Gregg et al., 2020). Other research traces the history of their development within specific contexts or geographical areas, and how they influence or are influenced by national energy policies (Wierling et al., 2018). Still other research uses the lens of organizational and institutional theory to understand the historical development of energy CAIs (Mey and Diesendorf, 2018)

The Italian energy transition from the bottom-up: a comparative and participatory investigation with the Italian energy collective initiatives’ ecosystem

Le iniziative energetiche collettive (ECI, dall’inglese Energy Collective Initiatives) stanno guadagnando una crescente attenzione politica e scientifica per il ruolo che possono svolgere nel guidare dal basso il processo di transizione energetica. Gli autori, basandosi su un metodo di ricerca partecipata ispirato al Consortium Benchmarking, indagano un campione selezionato di ECI italiane perseguendo un duplice obiettivo: la caratterizzazione delle ECI rispetto alla loro natura organizzativa attuale e futura; l’individuazione di un terreno comune per il consolidamento e la espansione delle ECI; il supporto all’evoluzione e alla crescita delle ECI nazionali. Dallo studio emerge che, nonostante le differenze nelle loro forme giuridiche e finalità, le ECI italiane sono in grado di offrire non solo un modello alternativo di business, ma anche un modello organizzativo radicalmente diverso in termini residenziali e/o occupazionali, oltre che – ispirandosi al principio del consenso – nel processo di presa di decisioni. Una considerazione politica rilevante è che le ECI investigate guardano con attenzione alle comunità di energia rinnovabile (REC) come a uno strumento promettente per promuovere la decarbonizzazione e la democratizzazione del sistema energetico italiano, anche se l’interazione delle ECI con questi schemi e attori innovativi e il loro adattamento alle nuove norme regolanti il sistema energetico pone alcune sfide degne di interesse.Energy collective initiatives (ECIs) are gaining increasing policy and scholarly attention for the role they can play in steering the process of the energy transition from the bottom up. By using a participatory research method inspired by the Consortium Benchmarking, the authors investigate a reasoned selection of Italian ECIs pursuing a double goal: the ECIs characterization with respect to their current and future organizational nature and the identification of a common ground for ECIs’ consolidation and expansion as well as the support to national ECIs’ evolution and scaling up. The study reveals that, despite the differences in their legal forms and purposes, the Italian ECIs are able to offer not only an alternative business model, but also a radically different organizational scheme in residential and/or occupational terms, as well as in the decision-making process, which can be inspired by the consensus principle. A relevant policy consideration is that Italian ECIs look attentively to renewable energy communities (RECs) as a promising tool to foster the decarbonisation and democratization of the Italian energy system, even though ECI’s interaction with these innovative actors and their adaptation to the new norms ruling the European energy system pose some intriguing challenges

How can energy become a community endeavor in Europe? Consortium benchmarking strategies for the mobilization of collective action initiatives

A consortium benchmarking (CB) approach was used to conduct a study on development mechanisms and best practices for Collective Action Initiatives (CAIs) in the energy sector. National research teams (NRTs) were created in six European countries (Belgium, Estonia, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Spain) each of which consisted of approximately five CAIs, as well as other stakeholders, governing bodies, and academic researchers. In total, 32 CAIs served as case studies. Each of the NRTs co-created research questions and methodologies to address the issues relevant to the case study CAIs. The results were then synthesized with respect to the dimensions of CAI mobilization (alignment of interests and engagement, organization and governance, resources, external actors and institutions, and policy and regulation) and how they contribute to the development and proliferation of CAIs. From the empirical findings, we reflect on the usefulness of the CB approach as a tool for engagement in research and derive recommendations for how CAIs can be better supported. We find that the CB approach was effective at engaging the CAIs in the research and strengthening their networks. Such networks, as well as collaboration with external actors, are vital for the success of CAIs through assisting with specialized skill sets, developing strategies for attracting a representative and diverse membership base, for securing financing, and for gaining political and social legitimacy. These networks can provide critical support to CAIs to navigate the dimensions of mobilization and allowing for the CAI to flourish

Investigating mechanisms of collective action initiatives’ development in the energy sector. Report on the comparative case studies, COMETS H2020 project

One of the emergent trends in the sustainable energy transition is the development of distributed power generation. In Europe, it is estimated that up half of citizens of the European Union (EU) could be energy self-sufficient, potentially supplying 45% of Europe’s final energy demand by 2050 (Kampman, et al., 2016). While there are many challenges with a move towards more distributed, citizen-led energy projects, they are nevertheless supported and promoted by the EU in the RED II (EU Renewable Energy Directive as part of the 2016 “Clean Energy of all Europeans” initiative, directive 2018/2001/EU), which secures the right for citizens and communities to produce, store, consume and sell renewable energy, and other rights such as consumer’s protection or access to all energy markets directly or through third parties. Socially, this often takes the form of community energy projects in the form of collective action initiatives (CAI). CAIs, which include energy cooperatives, prosumer networks, and other citizen-led energy projects, are examples of social innovation (Gregg, et al., 2020) in how they organize and gain power through a social movement mechanism. Social innovation is the development of activities and services to meet a social need, and social innovations are primarily social in both their ends and their means. Among other things, energy CAIs are typically characterized by a focus on the community, open and voluntary participation, democratic governance, and autonomy and independence (ICA, 2021). The social benefits of energy CAIs include: developing local economies, addressing energy poverty, raising awareness about sustainable energy, promoting energy justice, giving a voice to the community, developing local skills and promoting social cohesion. Current research on CAIs explores how they are defined and the different ownership structures (Gorroño-Albizu, 2019), and how they mobilize and attain power (Gregg et al., 2020). Other research traces the history of their development within specific contexts or geographical areas, and how they influence or are influenced by national energy policies (Wierling et al., 2018). Still other research uses the lens of organizational and institutional theory to understand the historical development of energy CAIs (Mey and Diesendorf, 2018)