Periodic Reporting for period 3 - SCCALE 203050 (Sustainable Collective Citizen Action for a Local Europe 20-30-50)
Reporting period: 2023-10-01 to 2024-11-30
The primary objective of SCCALE 203050 is to facilitate the European Union's transition to a zero-carbon, resilient economy by prioritizing local actors and fostering collaboration among them.
REScoop.eu and Energy Cities understand from experience that transitioning to a decentralized, zero-carbon energy system based on renewable sources will only succeed if citizens, municipalities, and SMEs are empowered to own renewable energy installations and play an active role in the energy system of the future. The Clean Energy for All Europeans Legislative Package, along with the Renewable Energy Directive and Electricity Market Design, provides opportunities and frameworks to support local actors in forming “Energy Communities.”
Energy communities offer practical solutions to the climate and energy crises by mobilizing citizens, municipalities, and SMEs to utilize local natural resources for energy needs. Renewable energy not only mitigates climate change but also reduces dependence on Russian gas and fossil fuels. It keeps money within local economies, supports climate action—a key EU priority for the next decade—and addresses energy poverty. By enabling affordable investments, fostering public acceptance of renewable energy projects, offering financial returns, and protecting citizens from energy price volatility, energy communities drive meaningful change.
SCCALE 203050 aims to support and expand energy communities, particularly those focused on renewable energy production, energy efficiency, and district heating. To this end, we have developed a range of capacity-building materials, which have been published on the Energy Communities Platform.
REScoop.eu and Energy Cities understand from experience that transitioning to a decentralized, zero-carbon energy system based on renewable sources will only succeed if citizens, municipalities, and SMEs are empowered to own renewable energy installations and play an active role in the energy system of the future. The Clean Energy for All Europeans Legislative Package, along with the Renewable Energy Directive and Electricity Market Design, provides opportunities and frameworks to support local actors in forming “Energy Communities.”
Energy communities offer practical solutions to the climate and energy crises by mobilizing citizens, municipalities, and SMEs to utilize local natural resources for energy needs. Renewable energy not only mitigates climate change but also reduces dependence on Russian gas and fossil fuels. It keeps money within local economies, supports climate action—a key EU priority for the next decade—and addresses energy poverty. By enabling affordable investments, fostering public acceptance of renewable energy projects, offering financial returns, and protecting citizens from energy price volatility, energy communities drive meaningful change.
SCCALE 203050 aims to support and expand energy communities, particularly those focused on renewable energy production, energy efficiency, and district heating. To this end, we have developed a range of capacity-building materials, which have been published on the Energy Communities Platform.
WP1 – REScoop.eu produced the inception report (D1.1) the risk management plan (D1.2) and the ethics report (D1.3). Three periodic reports were submitted covering M1-M9 (D1.6) M1-M14 and M15-M28. We had 5 project meetings, 1 advisory board meeting and 21 online steering committee meetings.
WP2 - We made an extensive literature study on collective citizen-action (D2.1) and a self-assessment tool for energy communities (D2.2). The so- called “monitoring tool” is designed as a self-test allowing energy communities to identify their stage of development and think-through the next steps in their journey.
WP3 – The SCCALE pilots are focused on a variety of activities energy communities can engage in. Our pilot leaders provide technical assistance and help the pilots become stand-alone and successful energy communities that comply with the EU definition. The context and characteristics of each of the pilots have been summarised in a comprehensive report (D3.1) and so were their respective engagement strategies (D3.2). A standardised structure for the action plans was developed and applied to each of them (D3.3). The key deliverable in WP3 was the methodology guide (D3.4) showing the different stages of development and identifying the key steps to effectively set-up an energy community.
WP4 – We made an extensive overview of the existing capacity building material to advance and professionalise energy communities across Europe (D4.1) and developed two reports which we felt were missing. We produced a finance guide (D4.2) for energy communities and for bank representatives. The existing material, including the new materials that we produced in the context of SCCALE, were cleverly integrated into the energycommunityplatform.eu (D4.3) which has the potential to act as a European one-stop-shop for energy communities.
WP5 – We agreed to reconsider the scope of the contractual guide and turned it into an inclusivity guide instead (D5.1). Furthermore, we produced a municipal guide showing how local authorities can back and support energy communities (D5.2). The municipal guide is amongst the most downloaded resources in our toolbox and a report REScoop.eu and Energy Cities often refer to. Two years of project operation and pilot activities were sufficient to develop in a good set of policy recommendations at EU and at national level (D5.3).
WP6 – Our pilot leaders are taking the opportunity to leverage the project results and provide technical assistance to another set of initiatives, the so-called replication sites. We described these initiatives (D6.1) and their action plans on the back-of the methodological guide (D6.2). Every now and again project partners, pilot leaders and replication leaders meet up in the so called “community of practice” (D6.4) a network of practitioners who are committed to pass on their experience to others, making sure that future community leaders get trained on how to use the SCCALE capacity building material.
WP7 – The plan to capitalise on the project results and foster exploitation were summarised in a report (D7.1). Shortly after the Summer 2023, we started the capacity building tour with dedicated workshops in Romania, Serbia, Italy and Estonia. The workshop in Spain will take place in Spring 2024.
WP8 – The overall communication dissemination plan was submitted shortly after the project kick-off (D7.1) and updated for the first time in May 2023 (D7.2). The project results and activities have been widely disseminated through the respective networks of RES, ENC and the national partners.
WP2 - We made an extensive literature study on collective citizen-action (D2.1) and a self-assessment tool for energy communities (D2.2). The so- called “monitoring tool” is designed as a self-test allowing energy communities to identify their stage of development and think-through the next steps in their journey.
WP3 – The SCCALE pilots are focused on a variety of activities energy communities can engage in. Our pilot leaders provide technical assistance and help the pilots become stand-alone and successful energy communities that comply with the EU definition. The context and characteristics of each of the pilots have been summarised in a comprehensive report (D3.1) and so were their respective engagement strategies (D3.2). A standardised structure for the action plans was developed and applied to each of them (D3.3). The key deliverable in WP3 was the methodology guide (D3.4) showing the different stages of development and identifying the key steps to effectively set-up an energy community.
WP4 – We made an extensive overview of the existing capacity building material to advance and professionalise energy communities across Europe (D4.1) and developed two reports which we felt were missing. We produced a finance guide (D4.2) for energy communities and for bank representatives. The existing material, including the new materials that we produced in the context of SCCALE, were cleverly integrated into the energycommunityplatform.eu (D4.3) which has the potential to act as a European one-stop-shop for energy communities.
WP5 – We agreed to reconsider the scope of the contractual guide and turned it into an inclusivity guide instead (D5.1). Furthermore, we produced a municipal guide showing how local authorities can back and support energy communities (D5.2). The municipal guide is amongst the most downloaded resources in our toolbox and a report REScoop.eu and Energy Cities often refer to. Two years of project operation and pilot activities were sufficient to develop in a good set of policy recommendations at EU and at national level (D5.3).
WP6 – Our pilot leaders are taking the opportunity to leverage the project results and provide technical assistance to another set of initiatives, the so-called replication sites. We described these initiatives (D6.1) and their action plans on the back-of the methodological guide (D6.2). Every now and again project partners, pilot leaders and replication leaders meet up in the so called “community of practice” (D6.4) a network of practitioners who are committed to pass on their experience to others, making sure that future community leaders get trained on how to use the SCCALE capacity building material.
WP7 – The plan to capitalise on the project results and foster exploitation were summarised in a report (D7.1). Shortly after the Summer 2023, we started the capacity building tour with dedicated workshops in Romania, Serbia, Italy and Estonia. The workshop in Spain will take place in Spring 2024.
WP8 – The overall communication dissemination plan was submitted shortly after the project kick-off (D7.1) and updated for the first time in May 2023 (D7.2). The project results and activities have been widely disseminated through the respective networks of RES, ENC and the national partners.
If we are to change our energy system and foster a massive roll-out of new energy communities across Europe, we can’t just make the change from Brussels. Our most effective approach in that context, is the so-called “strawberry model”. Similar to the strawberry plant, it’s not the mother plant but the runners that cover the land. Our best shot to support community leaders in setting up and advancing successful energy communities and help/ask/train them to pass on their experience and expertise to others. Alas, the support we can provide from Brussels comes under the form of supportive legislative frameworks at EU level, providing guidance and support on the transposition by each of the national member states, providing networking opportunities and exchange and developing a good set of attractive capacity building materials which energy communities can use to build, expand and professionalise their models and projects.