Energy communities as a new consumption model

In recent years, energy has gained increasing importance, with the energy transition being a central theme driven by a number of factors. The European Union is leading this change with the ‘Clean Energy for All Europeans’ package, setting guidelines in areas such as energy consumption in buildings, renewable energies and energy efficiency. Challenges in the electricity market stand out, with aspects such as fair access and the promotion of flexible services to reduce operating costs.

All Member States are moving forward in line with these EU guidelines and continue transposing EU directives into their respective national regulatory frameworks. There is particular momentum for domestic consumers, businesses and industries to become ‘prosumers’, especially through PV-based solutions, and in countries with exceptional solar resources such as Portugal, Spain and Italy.

However, consumers still face physical, economic and technical constraints, such as the difficulty to access energy storage systems and the lack of or limitations to remuneration for grid feed-in of surpluses. Collective Self-consumption and Energy Communities emerge as new consumption models to overcome these limitations, allowing producers-consumers to group together and maximise the use of surpluses, albeit with more complex management.

IT platforms will play a crucial role in managing energy communities, providing visibility and participation in markets that generate new consumer revenues. They also provide information on energy production and consumption, increasing members' sense of belonging and satisfaction.

In a context of social responsibility and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), energy communities can reduce energy poverty and promote territorial inclusion. Minsait offers an integrated platform, Onesait Flexibility, which covers everything from the optimal selection of members to the operation and financial settlement of communities, positioning itself as a key partner in the transition towards a distributed and decarbonised energy model.

Download the document and visit our Onesait Flexibility product website today to understand how we can help you plan, operate and scale your business model around Energy Communities.