Tech tools bringing citizens and communities together for cleaner energy
By supporting social engagement and citizen participation, communities will play a key role in providing secure, affordable and clean energy. However, many more of such communities are needed as Europe transitions to green energy. “We are using the power of the community to show the opportunities areas such as remote villages and small cities have in decarbonising energy supply, fostering community building, and creating environmental and socio-economic benefits fairly and cooperatively,” explains Andrej Gubina from the Laboratory of Energy Policy at the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, responsible for coordinating the COMPILE project. “By introducing social elements in renewable energy transition, we enable the participation of every person who would like to invest in it, or just be a part of it.”
Joining forces to decarbonise energy supply
The project has developed several technical tools to help operate and manage energy communities and other forms of energy-related citizens’ organisations. HomeRule is a building energy management system application that regulates a single building or home’s photovoltaic (PV) panel output to keep voltage levels within safe operating limits. This functionality is crucial in congested networks that frequently exceed voltage capacity. It is also important for installing additional PV panels without jeopardising the grid’s operation in cases where distribution system operators limit or do not permit more panels. The tool informs users about consumption, production and stored energy. GridRule assists those who operate, control or manage a local grid within network limits while improving flexibility, stability and security. ComPilot is a digital platform that helps network operators and community managers to know more about how their community is performing and to better monitor and manage cooperation agreements in a user-friendly way. It also shows which areas could be improved and further developed. A major advantage of all the tools is that they can be replicated.
Increasing energy independence across Europe
The tools are being tested at five pilot sites and are helping to address a broad range of issues. Luče in Slovenia has a weak connection to the grid that results in frequent power outages. Actions such as installing new PV panels will help this remote village become the country's first community that is self-sufficient with energy. Installing a PV panel on the roof of a condominium with 150 apartments in Lisbon will cover the owners’ energy needs for common building areas, including lighting, lifts and heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Consuming the energy amongst themselves and selling the surplus to the grid will ultimately contribute to creating the first collective community in Portugal that can self-supply energy. The Greek port town of Rafina is benefiting from a new energy law. The law enables the creation of energy communities and other forms of energy-related citizens’ organisations, and provides the legal framework with which to do so. These communities will alleviate energy poverty – the inability to maintain adequate levels of energy services at an affordable cost. Through crowdfunding, consumers have invested in a PV system installed on the roof of a technology park in Križevci, Croatia. Finally, in Crevillent, Spain, one of the oldest and largest energy cooperatives in the EU, local citizens are investing in renewable energy sources. When fully developed and validated, the suite of tools will be commercialised. The project has already established connections with China and India as potential markets. “COMPILE is empowering and connecting people to take on their local energy systems with large or even entire shares of renewable energy,” concludes Gubina. “Our mission is to help as many community leaders and entire communities in the EU as possible.” More energy communities and other forms of energy-related citizens’ organisations will certainly help put Europe on course to becoming the first climate-neutral continent by 2050.
Keywords
COMPILE, energy, energy community, PV panel, grid, network, renewable energy, photovoltaic
