The energy communities in Greece

Abstract

Greece has given an important boost to the Social and Solidarity Economy since 2011 with the approval of various laws that regulate this sector. Among others, and closely following the work carried out by the European institutions, Greece has regulated for the first time in Europe, the energy communities. These are defined as civil cooperatives whose sole purpose is to promote the social and solidarity economy and innovation in the energy sector; the fight against energy poverty and the promotion of sustainable energy, production, storage, self-consumption, distribution and supply of energy; increase energy self-sufficiency and security in the municipalities of the islands; as well as the improvement of energy efficiency in end use, locally and regionally, through its activities in the sector of renewable energy sources, the cogeneration of highly efficient electrical energy, the rational use of energy , energy efficiency, sustainable transport, demand management and the production, distribution and supply of energy. In this work we wanted to learn about know this pioneering regulation of energy communities, the problems generated by its conception as a cooperative, the various models of energy communities that could be developed in accordance with its exclusive corporate purpose, and the experiences that have been given so far, as well as its main characteristics.