NRGCOM

The Danube Region relies heavily on imported, fossil-fuel energy sources, which raises environmental, efficiency and security concerns. The concept of renewable energy communities (RECs) is not widely known in the region, and their operation is often hampered by legal, internal operational, infrastructural or technical barriers. The overall goal of NRGCOM is to enhance the spread of energy communities by creating an appropriate environment for their proper functioning in the Danube Region. 

NRGCOM builds on a multilevel approach, gathering 13 Project Partners (PPs) +14 Associated Strategic Partners (ASPs) from 12 countries, including local / regional / national authorities, energy, development and sectoral agencies, one EGTC, NGOs, interest groups, higher education and research institutions and a renewable energy source service provider. Within the project, the partners will review the legal frameworks, analyse the operation systems and governance techniques of existing RECs and collect best practises in the subject, in order to develop policy recommendations to remove the bottlenecks encountered, and jointly design a model and prepare a strategy for the creation of proper conditions for RECs establishment in the Danube Region. Through public awareness raising actions, the partnership will enhance the spread of the concept in their countries. By encouraging and supporting local self-production and consumption, NRGCOM will make a great contribution to the transition to renewable energy sources in the DRP area. 

The need for transnationality is underlined by the diversity of partner countries’ experiences with renewable energy communities: while in Austria, Germany (with more than 1500 RECs), Slovakia or Slovenia, the legal framework for renewable energy communities is well-established and RECs have been developing for many years, in Montenegro, Croatia, the Republic of Serbia and the Republic of Moldova there are no functioning energy communities, although the legal environment is relatively established. There are REC initiatives in the Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania and Hungary, but there are many obstacles hindering their proper functioning. Thus, NRGCOM not only aims to expand knowledge on an external level but builds on peer learning between the partners as well. The partners that need expertise and suggestions will be able to learn from partners from more experienced countries within the project. 

The project builds on three main objectives: 1) initiating the establishment of the proper conditions for energy community in the Danube Region, 2) raising awareness on the importance of the transition to renewable energy sources (RES) and the community-led energy initiatives, 3) supporting energy communities to operate properly and efficiently in the Danube Region. 

The project will explore and propose legal solutions, and analyse various operational models, in order to promote the creation of the necessary and appropriate conditions for the creation of energy communities. In order to raise awareness on current energy challenges in the Danube Region and to achieve the most widespread change possible, the partners will address and involve various authorities and agencies, municipalities, members of energy communities, NGOs, SMEs, operators and service providers, as well as the general public, and develop and test incentive methodologies to enhance behavioural change. PPs will educate and train the target audience to become environmental and energy-conscious and to set up RECs. To spread the concept across the region, PPs will also create a ‘REC ambassadors’ network, in order to assist and mentor the target groups selected to be subject of pilot actions aiming to set up and improve the functioning of RECs. 

Based on the results, the partners will develop a White Paper to provide guidance on how to professionally create the right conditions, encourage the population and effectively create, manage and run an energy community in the Danube Region, addressing legal, social, infrastructural/technical, economic, and sustainable aspects. The ultimate goal of the project is to provide the Danube Region with proper environment and informed society, where community renewable energy initiatives can be launched and expand unhindered, thus facilitating the green transition and increasing energy efficiency, contributing to the achievement of the decarbonisation climate targets and enhancing energy security.