Regional and Local Energy Agencies: Boosting Energy Communities Through Open Energy Governance

A new technical article published on the EU's BUILD UP portal, authored by FEDARENE experts Loïc Cobut, Diana Bosfy, Juliana Nadalutti, and Anna Soressi, examines the growing role of regional and local energy agencies in driving the energy transition from the ground up.

As trusted, non-profit actors with a public mandate, these agencies provide technical expertise and hands-on support to local authorities, businesses, and citizens. With more than 300 agencies active across Europe and over 20 already managing one-stop shops for renewable energy communities, they are playing a key role in making the transition more inclusive and locally anchored.

The article highlights how these agencies are opening up governance and supporting new forms of collaboration through initiatives such as the OCTOPUS project, which promotes cooperation between local authorities, academia, and civil society. It also showcases how energy communities are expanding into areas such as industrial parks and building renovation, supported by projects like ENERGIZE+ and the Citizen-Led Renovation initiative. Across these examples, a key message emerges: by building trust and enabling cooperation, regional and local energy agencies are essential to accelerating Europe’s clean energy transition.

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