During the Launch Event of the Handbook on Cross-border Energy Communities (CBECs), which took place on 20 January 2025 at the premises of the European Commission in Brussels, a WorldCafe-style workshop was conducted with practitioners, representatives of Interreg programmes and researchers.
More than 40 participants from across Europe discussed the basics of a potential business plan for cross-border energy initiatives. One of the conclusions was that economic return on investment is not the only desired impact of cross-border energy communities. The various motivations for establishing energy communities across borders include community development, inclusion, tackling energy poverty, reducing dependence on fossil fuels and large energy suppliers, increasing the use of locally produced energy and renewable energy sources, increasing energy security in peripheral regions and creating win-win situations between areas that produce more energy than they need and areas that have a need for energy.
The following necessary ingredients to the recipe of a cross-border and quasi cross-border energy community were highlighted:
- Connection to the inhabitants and the communities
- Trust
- Knowledge on similar initiatives and good practices
- A social common ground
- A good communication strategy
- Funding for the first phase (business-model-development).
- Tailor-made solutions for technical and market challenges related to energy production and distribution
- Political support from key stakeholders in the region (and from regional and national government)
Access the handbook here: https://ec.europa.eu/regional_policy/information-sources/publications/studies/2025/handbook-on-cross-border-energy-communities_en
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