DG Regio recently launched the study “Handbook on Cross-border Energy Communities".

The climate and energy crises do not stop at national borders and thus require joint actions. 

Energy communities are exemplary cases of citizens’ involvement in the energy transition and recent European legislation opened up the way for cross-border cooperation in this field.  However, border bottlenecks and obstacles still hamper or complicate cooperation across borders for these activities, which could help to better exploit more sustainable energy solutions in border regions. 

This study aims to contribute to reducing these bottlenecks and obstacles with a particular view on (quasi) cross-border energy communities. It will improve the tools at the disposal of citizens, public authorities and other stakeholders to promote their development for a variety of energy related services. In particular, the study will 

• develop a handbook illustrating ways to overcome obstacles to cross-border energy communities;
• develop an inventory of border obstacles to the implementation of such services;
• develop an inventory of existing (quasi) cross-border energy communities;
• provide in-depth insights for about 10 such communities across the EU for further inspiration; and
• invite practitioners to exchange and learn about the topic.

We look forward to involving any authority and stakeholder working in the field of cross-border energy communities in EU and EEA countries. Your expertise will be crucial when collecting different insights and developing the handbook.