Inclusivity guide for energy communities

Energy communities are often put forward as a way to counter some of the injustices of the current energy system: they offer the potential of organising and governing it in a different way, based on social, democratic and ecological principles. Being a member of an energy community initiative is associated with a number of benefits, from energy savings to lower energy tariffs, social cohesion, community resilience and so on. Nevertheless, they are still often perceived as white, middle-class, middle-aged, male-dominated investor clubs empowering the already empowered. While this does not refute their potential of becoming vehicles for a just transition, it is true that currently many initiatives are struggling to become more accessible to a broader segment of society.

This guide offers tools and tips for increasing the inclusivity of your energy community with the following objectives:

• To more fairly share the benefits (and costs) of the energy transition with all people
• To pay better attention to the knowledge, different worldviews and values of everyone involved
• To reap the benefits of more inclusive decision making to lift your community project to the next level

The document starts with a section to help you map and analyse your community. After, you will be presented with tools to plan and take actions for inclusion. You will then continue with ideas and guidance on how to build an inclusive organisation and create partnerships. Finally, you will find information on what to consider when developing inclusive community energy projects.