Energy Communities in Action: Lessons from WSED 2026

On 25 February 2026, OÖ Energiesparverband, in cooperation with FEDARENE organised the Energy Communities Workshop during the World Sustainable Energy Days in Wels, Austria, bringing together over 160 participants from across Europe.

The session featured a diverse range of speakers, including representatives from the European Commission, energy agencies, regulators, cooperatives and project developers, offering both policy insights and practical experiences. Held in the context of the ManagEnergy initiative and the LIFE project Power-E-Com, the workshop showcased how community-led energy action is moving from niche to mainstream.

From policy priority to market reality

Energy communities are now firmly embedded in EU legislation, including the Clean Energy Package and the Fit for 55 framework. As highlighted by the European Commission, they play a key role in enhancing citizen participation, improving energy efficiency and addressing energy poverty, which still affects around 10% of Europeans.

Upper Austria provides a leading example, with over 800 Renewable Energy Communities already in operation. Their success is built on clear regulation, smart metering systems and efficient data exchange, enabling local energy sharing at scale.

Beyond financial benefits, motivations such as energy independence and local cooperation are driving strong citizen engagement, confirming that energy communities are becoming active players in the energy market.

Key challenges and enabling factors

Despite this progress, several barriers remain. Discussions highlighted the importance of:

• Stable and clear regulatory frameworks
• Access to financing and long-term EU support
• Digital infrastructure, especially smart meters and data exchange systems
• Cooperation between local authorities, DSOs and communities

EU initiatives such as Citizen Energy Advisory Hub (CEAH), Citizen-led renovation (CLR) and the European Energy Communities Facility are helping address these challenges through capacity building, technical assistance and financing support.

Innovation driving new opportunities

Innovation and digitalisation are increasingly shaping the development of energy communities. Solutions such as smart energy management systems, digital platforms and blockchain-based tools are enabling more efficient energy sharing and improved coordination between participants.

For example, projects like InEExS are exploring how blockchain can facilitate secure and transparent energy transactions within communities. Combined with smart metering and real-time data exchange, these tools can enhance flexibility, optimise self-consumption and support more dynamic local energy markets.

However, their large-scale deployment still depends on regulatory clarity, interoperability of systems and access to high-quality data, which remain uneven across Europe.

Real-life examples across Europe

Case studies presented during the workshop illustrated the diversity of models and approaches:

• Austria, OÖ Energiesparverband: The Upper Austria Energy Agency plays a key role in facilitating implementation, Examples presented during the workshop highlighted how energy communities can connect public infrastructure and local users, optimising renewable energy use and strengthening regional energy systems.
• Slovenia, Energap: A “weekend energy community” links a business zone producing excess solar electricity with a nearby hospital with higher weekend demand, improving self-consumption and economic efficiency.
• Italy, AESS: Local Energy Agencies support municipalities in setting up renewable energy communities despite administrative delays and complex procedures, providing essential technical assistance for business planning, legal setup and access to funding.
• Romania, Cooperativa de Energie: The Cooperativa de Energie, the country’s first renewable energy cooperative, shows how community energy can grow in a challenging regulatory environment through advocacy, capacity building and participation in European projects.
• Cyprus, Tillyria Energy Community & Cyprus Energy Agency: The Tillyria Energy Community, supported by the Cyprus Energy Agency, enables energy autonomy in an isolated region through investments in photovoltaics, storage and building upgrades, combining citizen engagement and institutional support.
• Spain, CIEGC: Experiences from Gran Canaria highlight that promotion alone is not enough, as energy communities require continuous facilitation, access to financing and strong involvement of local authorities to build trust.
• France, AURA-EE (EnComHub LIFE CET): A pilot project combining energy sharing, building renovation and biomass heating shows how citizens, SMEs and local authorities can jointly invest in infrastructure that becomes fully community-owned over time.
• Belgium, Energie Commune: Examples demonstrate both the complexity of multi-level energy systems and the strong potential of energy communities, particularly in social housing projects.
• Bulgaria, SOFENA: With the support of the Sofia Energy Agency (SOFENA), municipal energy communities in cities such as Gabrovo, Burgas and Sofia are being developed through solar installations on public buildings and crowdfunding models involving citizens and SMEs.
• Greece, Electra Energy: Energy communities are emerging within a still-centralised system, supported by intermediary organisations and energy agencies providing technical and financial guidance.

A growing movement shaping Europe’s energy future

The workshop confirmed that energy communities are no longer experimental but are becoming a structural component of Europe’s energy system.

With the right combination of policy support, financing, digital infrastructure and local engagement, they are set to play a key role in delivering a fair, affordable and climate-neutral energy transition across Europe.