Unlocking the community energy potential to support the market uptake of bioenergy heating technologies

Project Information

BECoop

Grant agreement ID: 952930

DOI

10.3030/952930

Project closed

EC signature date 30 June 2020

Start date 1 November 2020

End date 31 October 2023

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 2 999 375,00

EU contribution

€ 2 999 375,00

Coordinated by

WHITE RESEARCH SRL
Belgium

Periodic Reporting for period 2 - BECoop (Unlocking the community energy potential to support the market uptake of bioenergy heating technologies)

Reporting period: 2022-05-01 to 2023-10-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

In recent years, the EU has made notable progress in Renewable Energy (RE) deployment, but a noticeable lag exists in the heating sector. Community bioenergy projects can catalyze bioenergy heating technology adoption, addressing this gap and enhancing renewables in heating and cooling. Despite its slower development pace than other renewables, bioenergy is crucial in the decentralized energy production model, pivotal for the EU's energy transition. BECoop aimed to expedite the deployment of bioenergy heating technologies in Europe, fostering market conditions and providing support tools. Through webinars and engagement activities, BECoop raised awareness of community bioenergy heating, fostering partnerships.

BECoop conducted four pilot cases in high-replication-potential EU regions, successfully expanding to eight additional cases. These projects show a higher likelihood of successful biomass heating, contributing to local economic growth, addressing energy poverty, and promoting social inclusivity. BECoop's knowledge transfer supports future community bioenergy initiatives, potentially leading to broader adoption of sustainable heating practices. BECoop’s actions achieved the objectives set, and concluded in:

1. Analyzing community market potential and identifying barriers and drivers for bioenergy technology uptake.
2. Developing resources and tools for community bioenergy heating projects, validated in pilot and follower cases.
3. Supporting four new bioenergy heating communities (BECoop RESCoops) and fostering demand through awareness and capacity building.
4. Deploying the BECoop support scheme, reducing development efforts and assessing impacts in diverse contexts.
5. Creating the BECoop replication handbook, distilling project knowledge into a step-by-step approach for developing bioenergy-focused Energy Communities.
6. Designing policy recommendations for national and EU levels to inform decision-making and shape supportive bioenergy expansion policies.
7. Empowering the community bioenergy ecosystem to scale across Europe through knowledge transfer and replication activities.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

1. Shedding light on the community bioenergy concept: BECoop has explored the EU community energy and bioenergy market size, also identifying community bioenergy lighthouse examples (D1.1). We detected EU and regional framework conditions that facilitate or hinder community bioenergy (D1.2). In addition, perceptions and needs of community bioenergy stakeholders were investigated and analysed (D1.3). A report defining the community bioenergy heating uptake needs and challenges at the pilot and EU level area was also presented (D1.4).
2. Enable community actors to plan and implement bioenergy projects: We developed a suite of supporting resources for community bioenergy project development. Specifically: the BECoop (i) assessment tool (D2.1 & D2.2) (ii) toolkit (D2.3 & D2.4) (iii) e-market environment (D2.5 & D2.6) and (iv) the technical (D2.7 & D2.8) business and financial support (D2.9 & D2.10) services catalogues. All the tools will remain active for at least 2 years after the end of the project.
3. Mobilisation of bioenergy communities: BECoop actively supports bioenergy communities with a comprehensive strategy. Initial RESCoop definitions and warm-up events were organized (D3.1 & D3.2). In the second reporting period, nine training workshops and ten webinars enhanced stakeholders' skills in establishing new RESCoops (D3.3 & D3.4). Recorded webinars were shared to support future initiatives. Simultaneously, awareness campaigns (D3.5 & D3.6) aimed at boosting social acceptance.
4. Support the market uptake of community bioenergy projects: By M18, key stakeholders in each pilot region, co-defined a roadmap and vision for each of the BECoop RESCoops (D4.1). A range of technical services was provided (D4.2) as well as business support and a peer-to-peer mentoring program (D4.3). The impact of RESCoop initiatives was demonstrated through 13 small-scale demonstrations across all four BECoop RESCoops (D4.4). Finally, the socio-economic and environmental impacts of BECoop communities were assessed at the local level (D4.5)
5. Breach the BECoop borders: BECoop has developed a Knowledge Exchange Platform including the Network of Interest (NoI) with approximately 2,000 users, while also two (2) matchmaking and four (4) brokerage events took place (D5.1 & D5.2). The BECoop platform will remain active at least for two years after the end of the project. All BECoop generated knowledge was compiled in a Replication Handbook (D5.3) while 8 follower cases were identified across Europe and supported towards the development of a bioenergy community project (D5.4). Finally our team has also provided nationals and EU level policy roadmaps, while policy advocacy and discussions were deployed through four (4) local and one (1) EU level policy workshop engaging more than 225 policy makers (D5.5 & D5.6).

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

We use both (i)existing community energy structures that do not have bioenergy in their mix and (ii)relevant local authorities as agents of change in the local level. We are targeting new potential bioenergy clients, assisting them to see their community bioenergy projects through. We extract hard-to-grasp insights and offer capacity building sessions to stakeholders, equipping them with the skills required for the establishment of sustainable bioenergy communities. We tailor our stakeholders mobilisation strategies to the specific local needs of our pilot cases, demonstrating to project developers how to avoid commoditization of the engagement process. We enhance the social attitude towards bioenergy cooperatives, increasing trust in community-driven initiatives while also practically fostering (technical, business support) the uptake of projects of a variety of readiness level. We replicate our concept to more EU cases, thus, improving the robustness and attractiveness of community bioenergy investments.

Project-generated results:
• New bioenergy communities set up in our pilot and replication cases
• BECoop inventory of supporting tools and resources for the development and operation of bioenergy communities
• A set of validated technical, business and financial services portfolio for optimising bioenergy communities development
• The BECoop Knowledge Exchange Platform (KEP) supporting knowledge exchange and partnerships among stakeholders as well as the BECoop Network of Interest (NoI) of community bioenergy stakeholders.
• The BECoop Replication Handbook for applying the project outcomes to additional regional settings
• Evidence-based national and EU level policy roadmaps.

By using BECoop support services and tools, energy communities and authorities will be better empowered to (i) mobilize citizens around existing or new community bioenergy initiatives, (ii) boost local bioenergy demand by improving its image and social acceptance, and (iii) increase feasibility of their endeavours by identifying suitable technical, business and financial solutions, as well as by pooling expertise and partnerships from the wider EU bioenergy ecosystem. Relevant policy and regulatory structures will be empowered with empirical evidence indicating ways to transfer the community energy approach in bioenergy and heating.

BECoop promotional material as presented in a Polish workshop

BECoop Replication Handbook

BECoop EU Policy roadmap

BECoop online banner