2015/12/31 by Giovanni Beggio, Sigrid Kusch-Brandt · 3 citations
Engineering · Social Sciences · Environmental Science · #Smart Grid Energy Management #Social Acceptance of Renewable Energy #Sustainability and Climate Change Governance
paper · doi:10.18638/quaesti.2015.3.1.208
openalex publication_date 2015/12/31 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/29
Cooperatives for renewable energy are examples of proactive citizen initiatives aiming for implementation of alternative energy supply models. These initiatives not only result in higher shares of renewable energy, but at the same time represent alternative business models with the citizen as main actor and beneficiary, and in consequence challenge the predominant power of big companies active in the energy sector. This publication provides an overview on main characteristics of renewable energy cooperatives. Furthermore, it explores means to overcome key challenges and to implement such projects successfully. This is achieved by exemplifying the main factors in two selected contexts: (1) REScoop.eu, the federation of groups and cooperatives of citizens for renewable energy in Europe, and (2) bioenergy villages, which are among the best known examples of cooperative-based renewable energy systems. Community- based renewable energy projects clearly benefit from networks and in particular from facilitated exchange of experience.