Across Europe, energy communities are reshaping how local energy systems operate, with goals aligned toward democratization and clean energy transition. These initiatives, often managed by local residents, businesses, and authorities, vary from small solar operations to community-driven wind projects.
Despite their potential, these communities often face challenges. Some struggle to keep going without external support, which is where the LIFE COMANAGE project steps in. This €1.7 million EU-funded initiative, led by Ecoserveis, aims to assist renewable energy communities (RECs) in overcoming diverse obstacles in Barcelona, Spain; Krakow, Poland; and the Lazio region, Italy.
Marcel Camps Inglès, a technician for energy transition in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area, emphasizes, ‘We have been one of the main drivers of this project because we believe that energy communities are a way to democratise local energy. They also support the transition to a fair, 100% renewable energy system.’
Each participating country navigates unique regulatory landscapes, necessitating collaboration and solutions tailored to local needs. Operational Integrated Service (OIS) hubs were established in each pilot location to develop localized strategies and ensure continuity beyond the project’s end in October 2025.
Andrea Vignoli, project manager in Lazio, Italy, notes, ‘Renewable energy communities represent a major challenge for sustainable development. This is because it focuses not only on energy but also on people.’ To address these challenges, the project offers an array of tools and services to aid energy communities’ formation and growth.
Among these resources are the Energy Communities Governance Toolkit (ECGT), featuring guides, templates, and infographics, an interactive e-learning program, and a Decision Support System (DSS) with a digital chatbot, all accessible on an online open platform. Additional factsheets address topics like urban energy poverty and strategies to support scalable energy communities.
The project’s influence extends globally through its Board of Replicators, which includes participants from Dakar, Senegal, and Johannesburg, South Africa. Both cities have adapted the methodology to facilitate a low carbon energy transition and to improve access to clean energy.
‘Outreach and stakeholder engagement have been essential,’ remarks Bartołomiej Smenda, project specialist in the Krakow Metropolitan Association. Monthly meetings were held to educate stakeholders on both legal and technical facets of energy communities.
The initiative has led to the development of 12 new policies and strategies, engaging over 32,600 stakeholders, and achieving annual carbon savings exceeding 16,200 tCO2eq, comparable to the emissions from 3,100 cars. COMANAGE is part of the LIFE Programme’s €1 billion Clean Energy Transition sub-programme, supporting the European Green Deal, among other initiatives.
A recent video highlights the project’s key results and progress.
Original Story at cinea.ec.europa.eu