The (Self-)Governance of Community Energy: Challenges & Prospects

Community energy is emerging as an intriguing new way of organizing the energy system. It fits very well to discourses on sustainability, but also to more neo-liberal ideas of self-reliance and independence. At the same time, its development challenges existing (energy) structures and raises questions about the (self-) governance of community energy. In this practice brief, we identify challenges and provide recommendations for initiators of community energy projects and for (local) governments, businesses and third sector organisations. Abstract: Community energy is emerging as an intriguing new way of organizing the energy system. It fits very well to discourses on sustainability, but also to more neo-liberal ideas of self-reliance and independence. At the same time, its development challenges existing (energy) structures and raises questions about the (self-)governance of community energy. In this practice brief, we identify challenges and provide recommendations for initiators of community energy projects and for (local) governments, businesses and third sector organisations.