IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jsusta/v16y2024i5p2049-d1349509.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Community-Centred Energy Planning: Within and beyond Administrative Borders

Author

Listed:
  • Valentina Costa

    (Italian Excellence Center for Logistics, Transport and Infrastructures (CIELI), University of Genoa, 16126 Genoa, Italy)

  • Federico Campanini

    (Italian Excellence Center for Logistics, Transport and Infrastructures (CIELI), University of Genoa, 16126 Genoa, Italy)

Abstract

Since its introduction in 2008, the Covenant of Mayors (CoM) has helped municipalities meet EU Climate and Energy goals and thresholds through Sustainable Energy and Climate Action Planning (SECAP). The engagement of local communities holds particular significance for smaller municipalities, which can leverage collective strategies to mutually contribute to climate change mitigation efforts, thereby optimizing results. In the realm of communities, Renewable Energy Communities (REC) have emerged as a potential tool for SECAP implementation, but although they target common objectives and constitute subsequent steps of the same planning flow, their interaction is poor. This study aimed to investigate similar tools’ integration by focusing on administrative and technical boundaries whose overlaps often hinder their interoperability. To this aim, the Italian framework was chosen due to the representation of its signatories in the CoM. Municipalities that have undertaken actions related to RECs within their Joint SECAPs have been compared through an analysis of the CoM datasets. Finally, two Italian case studies were selected to evaluate the impact of different territorial and institutional configurations on these initiatives, aiming to face climate change and achieve a green transition. This helped the authors propose practical recommendations and policy implications concerning this kind of community-centred energy planning solution as outlined in the concluding section.

Suggested Citation

  • Valentina Costa & Federico Campanini, 2024. "Community-Centred Energy Planning: Within and beyond Administrative Borders," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-26, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:5:p:2049-:d:1349509
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/5/2049/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/16/5/2049/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Mia Landauer & Sirkku Juhola & Johannes Klein, 2019. "The role of scale in integrating climate change adaptation and mitigation in cities," Journal of Environmental Planning and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 62(5), pages 741-765, April.
    2. Mia Landauer & Sirkku Juhola & Maria Söderholm, 2015. "Inter-relationships between adaptation and mitigation: a systematic literature review," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 131(4), pages 505-517, August.
    3. Meagan Reasoner & Aritra Ghosh, 2022. "Agrivoltaic Engineering and Layout Optimization Approaches in the Transition to Renewable Energy Technologies: A Review," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-14, September.
    4. Bernadette Fina & Hans Auer, 2020. "Economic Viability of Renewable Energy Communities under the Framework of the Renewable Energy Directive Transposed to Austrian Law," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-31, November.
    5. Alanne, Kari & Saari, Arto, 2006. "Distributed energy generation and sustainable development," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 10(6), pages 539-558, December.
    6. Jorge Salas & Víctor Yepes, 2020. "Enhancing Sustainability and Resilience through Multi-Level Infrastructure Planning," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(3), pages 1-22, February.
    7. Schmid, Julia C. & Knierim, Andrea & Knuth, Ulrike, 2016. "Policy-induced innovations networks on climate change adaptation – An ex-post analysis of collaboration success and its influencing factors," Environmental Science & Policy, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 67-79.
    8. Florian Hanke & Jens Lowitzsch, 2020. "Empowering Vulnerable Consumers to Join Renewable Energy Communities—Towards an Inclusive Design of the Clean Energy Package," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(7), pages 1-27, April.
    9. Andrea Sarcina & Rubina Canesi, 2023. "Renewable Energy Community: Opportunities and Threats towards Green Transition," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-21, September.
    10. Francesco Silvestri & Dominique Lepore & Francesca Spigarelli & Lauretta Rubini, 2022. "Ecological Transition in the nrrp: Some Thoughts on the Processes of Change and Innovation," L'industria, Società editrice il Mulino, issue 3, pages 403-423.
    11. Rosalba D’Onofrio & Chiara Camaioni & Stefano Mugnoz, 2023. "Local Climate Adaptation and Governance: The Utility of Joint SECAP Plans for Networks of Small–Medium Italian Municipalities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, May.
    12. Paolo De Pascali & Annamaria Bagaini, 2018. "Energy Transition and Urban Planning for Local Development. A Critical Review of the Evolution of Integrated Spatial and Energy Planning," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-21, December.
    13. Wamsler, Christine, 2017. "Stakeholder involvement in strategic adaptation planning: Transdisciplinarity and co-production at stake?," Environmental Science & Policy, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 148-157.
    14. Athena Piterou & Anne‐Marie Coles, 2021. "A review of business models for decentralised renewable energy projects," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(3), pages 1468-1480, March.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Antje Otto & Kristine Kern & Wolfgang Haupt & Peter Eckersley & Annegret H. Thieken, 2021. "Ranking local climate policy: assessing the mitigation and adaptation activities of 104 German cities," Climatic Change, Springer, vol. 167(1), pages 1-23, July.
    2. Christian Göpfert & Christine Wamsler & Werner Lang, 2019. "A framework for the joint institutionalization of climate change mitigation and adaptation in city administrations," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 24(1), pages 1-21, January.
    3. Bernadette Fina & Hubert Fechner, 2021. "Transposition of European Guidelines for Energy Communities into Austrian Law: A Comparison and Discussion of Issues and Positive Aspects," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-14, June.
    4. Shoaib Ahmed & Amjad Ali & Antonio D’Angola, 2024. "A Review of Renewable Energy Communities: Concepts, Scope, Progress, Challenges, and Recommendations," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-34, February.
    5. de Alegría Mancisidor, Itziar Martínez & Díaz de Basurto Uraga, Pablo & Martínez de Alegría Mancisidor, Iñigo & Ruiz de Arbulo López, Patxi, 2009. "European Union's renewable energy sources and energy efficiency policy review: The Spanish perspective," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 13(1), pages 100-114, January.
    6. Eid, Cherrelle & Codani, Paul & Perez, Yannick & Reneses, Javier & Hakvoort, Rudi, 2016. "Managing electric flexibility from Distributed Energy Resources: A review of incentives for market design," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 64(C), pages 237-247.
    7. Funcke, Simon & Bauknecht, Dierk, 2016. "Typology of centralised and decentralised visions for electricity infrastructure," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 40(C), pages 67-74.
    8. Blarke, Morten B., 2012. "Towards an intermittency-friendly energy system: Comparing electric boilers and heat pumps in distributed cogeneration," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 91(1), pages 349-365.
    9. Hennessey, Ryan & Pittman, Jeremy & Morand, Annette & Douglas, Allan, 2017. "Co-benefits of integrating climate change adaptation and mitigation in the Canadian energy sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 111(C), pages 214-221.
    10. Antoine Boche & Clément Foucher & Luiz Fernando Lavado Villa, 2022. "Understanding Microgrid Sustainability: A Systemic and Comprehensive Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(8), pages 1-29, April.
    11. Kannan, Nadarajah & Vakeesan, Divagar, 2016. "Solar energy for future world: - A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 1092-1105.
    12. Moroni, Stefano & Antoniucci, Valentina & Bisello, Adriano, 2016. "Energy sprawl, land taking and distributed generation: towards a multi-layered density," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 266-273.
    13. Fonseca, Juan D. & Commenge, Jean-Marc & Camargo, Mauricio & Falk, Laurent & Gil, Iván D., 2021. "Sustainability analysis for the design of distributed energy systems: A multi-objective optimization approach," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 290(C).
    14. Adams, Clare & Frantzeskaki, Niki & Moglia, Magnus, 2023. "Mainstreaming nature-based solutions in cities: A systematic literature review and a proposal for facilitating urban transitions," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    15. Bernadette Fina & Hans Auer, 2020. "Economic Viability of Renewable Energy Communities under the Framework of the Renewable Energy Directive Transposed to Austrian Law," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-31, November.
    16. Ana Salomé García-Muñiz & María Rosalía Vicente, 2021. "The Effects of Informational Feedback on the Energy Consumption of Online Services: Some Evidence for the European Union," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(10), pages 1-14, May.
    17. Nomfundo Sibiya & Mikateko Sithole & Lindelani Mudau & Mulala Danny Simatele, 2022. "Empowering the Voiceless: Securing the Participation of Marginalised Groups in Climate Change Governance in South Africa," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-20, June.
    18. Chen, Yizhong & He, Li & Li, Jing, 2017. "Stochastic dominant-subordinate-interactive scheduling optimization for interconnected microgrids with considering wind-photovoltaic-based distributed generations under uncertainty," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 130(C), pages 581-598.
    19. Luca Brunelli & Emiliano Borri & Anna Laura Pisello & Andrea Nicolini & Carles Mateu & Luisa F. Cabeza, 2024. "Thermal Energy Storage in Energy Communities: A Perspective Overview through a Bibliometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-27, July.
    20. Jurasz, Jakub & Ciapała, Bartłomiej, 2017. "Integrating photovoltaics into energy systems by using a run-off-river power plant with pondage to smooth energy exchange with the power gird," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 198(C), pages 21-35.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:16:y:2024:i:5:p:2049-:d:1349509. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.