Alison Le Corret, Communications Manager at EUSEW’s partner organization the EU Mayors Code Initiative, will talk about how municipalities and communities across Europe are using renewable energy projects to reduce their bills, strengthen energy security and reduce their dependence on fossil fuels.
The issue of energy independence is gaining attention as Europe once again faces the risk of a new energy crisis caused by global geopolitical tensions. In response, there is a growing demand for home-grown renewable energy. But homegrown energy is most powerful when it is firmly rooted in the places we call home. Local authorities and communities are therefore in the best position to provide it.
The recent war in the Middle East has once again disrupted global energy supplies. And Europe is feeling it too. Commissioner Ursula von der Leyen said that in just 44 days, “the value of fossil fuel imports has increased by more than 22 billion euros.”
As oil and gas prices rise, closing in on Europeans’ utility bills, the path forward is clear. It is energy independence based on “homemade renewable energy.”
Local governments are essential to this change. By leveraging local resources, we can expand renewable energy production and ensure stable supply and prices while maintaining benefits within our communities. Across Europe, signatories of the Mayor’s Code who are committed to local climate and energy action are showcasing how local government leadership is making energy systems more reliable, affordable and resilient.
Community energy: homegrown energy is at the core
One of the most powerful ways is through community energy projects. Here, citizens, municipalities and local businesses work together to produce, collectively own and manage renewable energy.
As recognized in the commission’s Citizen Energy Package, there are already more than 8,000 such communities and they could grow tenfold by 2030, serving 25 to 30 million households.
Local governments play a key enabler role, from fostering partnerships and providing support, to providing public space, purchasing local energy, and even participating in the projects themselves.
For example, the city of Valencia in Spain, through its network of local energy offices and ongoing assistance and support, has supported the creation of 10 citizen-led energy communities since 2020, three of which are already operational and have over 250 members. Each community owns and manages its own solar energy system, allowing participants to access locally generated energy and save around €120 a year on energy bills.
In 2021, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria launched the Civic Energy Initiative with the support of the Gran Canaria Energy Council, a public entity under the island’s local government. Underpinned by the Municipal Energy and Climate Strategy, the Council provided technical, regulatory and operational support to the local community. Installation has now been completed, and members expect to reduce their electricity bills by 40-60%.
From the city to the countryside
Community energy is not limited to cities. In Ispastel, a small municipality in the Basque Country, the municipality helped create an energy community by mapping the roofs, performing administrative tasks, providing technicians, and ultimately participating as members. We now have over 30 members, share multiple solar farms, and have plans to expand into storage and heating. Members’ electricity bills have been reduced by 35%.
State and local governments play an important role here. In the province of Badajoz, on the Spanish-Portuguese border, a Community Transformation Office was launched to support municipal energy communities facing demographic challenges, and 19 municipalities are currently developing community energy projects.
Delivering local benefits
If implemented thoughtfully by local governments, these initiatives can deliver tangible social benefits to entire communities.
For example, in Mechelen, Belgium, a partnership between the city, citizen energy cooperatives, and public housing companies installed approximately 1,800 solar panels on 200 social housing units, giving energy-poor households access to stable, long-term, and affordable renewable energy.
In Siena, Italy, a new energy community aims to funnel profits into supporting low-income households and creating a “green district” to promote local green jobs and the city’s carbon-neutral strategy.
In Getafe, Spain, strong municipal support has enabled a more social approach to community energy. Public solar installations are shared through energy communities to directly benefit vulnerable households, with at least 30% of participating households coming from vulnerable groups and participating as active members in decision-making.
Beyond community energy
However, although EU law gives all citizens the right to form or join an energy community, its implementation varies across member states. In many cases, despite strong local interest, legal, financial and technical hurdles still impede the creation of energy communities, leaving much of their potential untapped.
Still, local governments have multiple ways to drive clean energy generation in their regions, using tools such as one-stop shops, procurement, flexibility schemes, digital forecasting, demand reduction, and microgrids. Emerging energy communities can now receive support through the European Energy Communities Facility. The facility provides €45,000 and technical assistance to develop a business plan.
For example, Valencia is incorporating social criteria into its energy procurement, while Izpasta operates a hybrid microgrid that supplies renewable heat and electricity to public buildings and homes.
Check out the Mayor’s EU Covenant on Home Energy story and discover all the ways local governments are strengthening Europe’s energy independence.
This opinion editorial was produced in collaboration with European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW), the largest annual event dedicated to renewable energy and efficient energy use in Europe. #EUSW2026 is in its 20th year, once again bringing together a community of people interested in building a safe and clean energy future for generations to come.
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Mayor’s homegrown energy story on the EU deal: Community Energy Energy City’s homegrown energy story: Beyond community energy Citizen Energy Advisory Hub: Citizen Energy Panel
About the author
Alison Le Corret is communications manager for the EU Mayors Code Initiative and urban climate change storyteller. She is running a campaign for the Mayor’s Covenant that aims to link European policy and local action in the energy and climate sector, including energy efficiency, heat decarbonization and climate adaptation. The EU Mayors Covenant is Europe’s leading movement of local authorities working to secure a better future for their citizens by tackling the EU’s climate and energy goals.
Disclaimer: This article is contributed by our partners. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited.
Neither the European Commission nor its representatives accept responsibility for the use of the information in the article. The opinions expressed are those of the authors only and should not be considered to represent the official views of the European Commission.
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