Renewable Energy Communities: a territorialist vision

Abstract

In the context of the energy transition, which is imperative to address the pressing challenges posed by climate change on a global scale, the paper underlines the necessity to respect territories and their peculiarities in transforming the energy production model. It advocates for incorporating these models into integrated planning processes to ensure effective and sustainable implementation. Forms of local energy cooperation, such as renewable energy communities, can serve as effective instruments for enhancing energy heritage resources at the local level. However, this potential can only be realised if local actors are given a genuine role in decision-making processes and if the transformations undertaken are consistent with protecting and preserving the common territorial heritage for future generations.