Financing guide for energy communities

Finding money for a community energy project is not easy. Financing community energy projects is more than just making sure that the right amounts of money flow in and out of the project. It is also highly linked to questions like “how do we safeguard our autonomy?”, “how do we facilitate access to our community in a way that allows everyone to participate?”, “how do we see our community evolve in the short and in the long run?” and “how do we want to approach potential members of our community?” A financing approach that does not match with the philosophy of the renewable energy projects and with the wishes of the members, will impede the development of the energy community.

This guide provides a very first introduction to community energy financing. In chapter 2 it explains all the basics you need: how to get started, the relation between project phases and financing, the impact of financing on ownership, and how to make a financial plan. In chapter 3, it offers more details on the different types of financing i.e. equity financing, debt financing, grants and public support. Several examples of energy communities illustrate the way that these financing types are being used. The last section features a list of complementary resources for those who feel inspired and ready to learn more.

Aiming to make it easy to read and hands-on, the guide includes 14 practical and recent financing stories of European energy communities. Each one includes key references where you can find more information.