Guide for developing instruments to foster energy communities

This practical guide offers an overview of the creation process of a local energy community in Spain. It includes best practices from other European countries, clarifies the definition of energy community, the legal process to set them up, and provides information on financial support offered by IDAE, the Spanish Institute for Diversification and Saving of Energy.

More specifically, the guide consist of the following information:

• An introduction to the concept of energy communities and a detailed description of its definition.
• Success factors for community energy projects in different countries.
• Barriers that community energy projects face in different countries.
• A summary of the different ownership models for local energy communities.
• An introduction to the framework for promoting energy communities, in legal and regulatory, technological and social terms.
• A brief summary of types of energy communities.
• A list of stakeholders involved in the creation process of an energy community.
• Main challenges to join or create an energy community.
• Recommendations to define support frameworks form public institutions.
• Steps to create a local energy community.

The document has some sections addressed at public institutions but it is very useful overview for citizens aiming to start their own community energy project in Spain.