We went live in Graz!
How was our training on energy communities and what opportunities do they offer Alpine communities?
Alpine Pearls has been involved as an Austrian partner in the Interreg Danube Region project "Danube Energy Communities" (DECA) since the beginning of 2024. The aim of the project is as follows: To empower citizens and communities to establish renewable energy communities (RECs) and thus produce, share and use energy sustainably together.
On-site training in Graz
The time had come in September: after several online taster sessions, our first in-depth face-to-face training course on energy communities took place in Graz at the Social Medicine Centre (SMZ) - open to all interested parties. Participants included practitioners, students, researchers and local pioneers of their own energy projects.
"We want to create an active community based on a sustainable development model" - Green Land
Community Co-operative, Alpe Cimbra, Italy
What are Energy Communities?
Renewable energy communities are citizen and locally led organisations that generate, consume and share energy together. They strengthen social cohesion, promote local expertise and offer economic opportunities - from cost savings to local value creation.
The EU's Renewable Energy Directive II, which was introduced in the "Clean Energy for All Europeans" legislative package, laid the foundation for such initiatives in 2018. All EU countries must implement these in their own legislation.
A practical Training Programme
Over two intensive but also interactive days, we introduced the participants step by step to the most important topics:
- Day 1: Introduction to community energy, organisational models, good governance and stakeholder engagement - all through interactive brainstorming workshops and discussions.
- Day 2: Business and financial planning, technical possibilities for community energy, legal frameworks, social entrepreneurship and advocacy.
Inspiration from Pioneering Regions
The exchange about existing projects such as "Greenland" in Alpine Pearls member municipality Alpe Cimbra, Trentino (Italy) was particularly enriching. This energy community was initiated by the municipal council of Lavarone and founded as the EEG community cooperative. Today it has around 50 members, including local authorities, cooperatives and citizens.
Its self-image as a social enterprise is groundbreaking:
„We want to create an active community based on a sustainable development model, with the energy community acting as an economic and social driver. In this community, the focus is not on the individual, but on the community as a whole, creating benefits for all.“
Such examples impressively demonstrate how climate-friendly energy, social participation and regional value creation can go hand in hand - also in tourism.
Why it is relevant for Alpine Pearls
Energy communities open up enormous opportunities for our member municipalities and partners:
- Supply e-bus fleets, charging infrastructure and tourist facilities with local green electricity
- Participation of citizens and companies in joint energy production
- Strengthening its own climate and sustainability goals and the "overall green package" in tourism
Training courses like the one in Graz give everyone the tools to initiate or support energy communities themselves.
We're exciting to see this concept take off throughout the Alps, Europe and further afield and to see the benefits it brings. Watch this space!