Developing a transnational governance and holistic integrated services framework supporting the sustainability of European energy communities (original title: “Developing a transnational governance and holistic integrated services framework supporting the sustainability of European energy communities”)ANCI Lazio supports municipalities and territories in the development of Renewable Energy Communities (RECs), promoting governance models, operational tools and participation paths to support the energy transition.In Lazio, the activities carried out under the project directly supported five energy community initiatives, contributing to the start-up or structuring of new experiences and the strengthening of existing projects. At the same time, more than seventy stakeholders, including local administrations, associations and territorial actors, were involved through an articulated programme of meetings, workshops and training activities.

The COMANAGE Project
COMANAGE is a European project funded by the LIFE Clean Energy Transition programme (LIFE21-CET-ENERCOM-COMANAGE/101076753), aimed at supporting the diffusion and consolidation of Renewable Energy Communities (RECs). The project was created with the objective of providing concrete tools to address the main critical issues that characterise the development of RECs, particularly in terms of governance, organisational sustainability, and the capacity to involve local communities.

Through an integrated approach, COMANAGE develops methodologies and tools to support local authorities and stakeholders, fostering the creation of replicable and adaptable models for different territorial contexts.

The role of ANCI Lazio

ANCI Lazio participates in the project as a partner, acting as a link between Municipalities, citizens, and local stakeholders interested in the development of energy communities. The activities have focused on supporting territories in understanding the opportunities offered by CERs and in guiding the processes of activation and consolidation of initiatives.

In this context, ANCI Lazio has helped to strengthen the regional framework, fostering dialogue between administrations and stakeholders, promoting the dissemination of knowledge and facilitating access to operational tools useful for the design and management of energy communities.

Activities and achievements

The actions carried out concerned both direct support for local initiatives and cross-cutting activities aimed at strengthening skills and disseminating the energy communities model.
In particular, ANCI Lazio has supported local areas through technical and organisational support activities, advice on governance models and legal aspects, preliminary feasibility analyses, and training courses aimed at administrators, technicians, and citizens. These have been complemented by information and awareness initiatives, which have helped to consolidate greater awareness of the topic and to encourage the active involvement of local communities.
Overall, the project has helped to support the establishment of new initiatives, strengthen existing ventures, and enhance the capacity of local authorities in promoting and managing models for the production and sharing of renewable energy. Tools to support energy communities
As part of the project, operational tools have been developed to support administrations and stakeholders through the various stages of energy community development. These include a digital decision-support system, useful for guiding technical and economic choices, a set of guidelines dedicated to governance and organisational aspects, and a training platform aimed at developing specific skills on the subject.