How Citizen Energy Can Power a Fairer Transition 

Energy communities are reshaping how we produce and share power, building a cleaner, fairer future from the ground up. 

Sara Tachelet is the Coordinator at REScoop.eu, the European federation of energy communities. In her role, she drives the organisation’s daily management and leads the coordination of the EU-funded ACCE project (Access to Capital for Community Energy). This pioneering initiative is dedicated to developing and expanding innovative financing tools that enable energy communities across Europe to thrive. Through her work, Sara helps empower local voices, unlock sustainable funding, and accelerate the transition to a clean, democratic, and decentralised energy future.  

In this conversation, we examine the financing challenges facing energy communities, their increasing role in EU industrial policy, and how community-owned infrastructure could become a cornerstone of Europe’s energy future. 

One of the biggest challenges energy communities face today is still access to finance. 

Most energy communities start small, with neighbours pooling resources to launch a solar or wind project. These are often funded through membership fees or community equity. But when it’s time to scale up and seek bank loans for major infrastructure, many hit a wall. 

Traditional banks don’t always understand how energy communities work, and that creates a perception of risk. Even though these projects are often stable, they’re seen as too small or unfamiliar. Investors tend to prefer large portfolios, not a collection of local initiatives. 

One of the biggest challenges energy communities face today is still access to finance… Traditional banks don’t always understand how energy communities work.

In the ACCE project, together with key networks of energy communities from the Netherlands, France, Germany, Belgium, Croatia, and Spain, we’re working on solutions, like bundling community projects into larger investment portfolios to attract mainstream financiers. We are also committed to fostering trust and building stronger relationships between the energy community sector and financiers, paving the way for more accessible funding opportunities for energy communities setting up projects on the ground. 

That’s one of the most compelling parts of this model. Studies from France and Germany show that energy communities create two to eight times more value for the local economy. 

Unlike traditional investors, which often focus solely on profit, energy communities reinvest their surpluses back into the local area, supporting local project developers, creating jobs, and strengthening social cohesion. What we emphasise is that these communities don’t just produce electricity; they actively contribute to the sustainable development and vitality of their local economies. That’s resilience. That’s value.  

It’s something we highlight constantly, especially when talking to policy-makers or designing programs like the Social Climate Fund. We’re asking: What if investment was measured not just in euros returned, but in community impact? 

This fund is a great opportunity to link social and climate goals. Through their National Social Climate Plans, Member States ensure a fair and equitable transition to climate neutrality, helping to counterbalance the adverse impacts of the EU’s new Emissions Trading System on the most vulnerable. Specifically, this presents an opportunity to access pathways that specifically support citizen-led projects. 

We’re pushing for governments to include clear targets and criteria for energy communities, especially ones that serve vulnerable households. Unfortunately, we’re seeing delays in many countries. Some haven’t submitted their updated plans yet, which is concerning. 

To help with accountability, on 30 June we are launching a Social Climate Plans Tracker which will compare best and worst practices across Europe. We have already joined forces with other NGOs to propose concrete reforms and investments that Member States can include in their plans.

It’s a tough balance. Our model is long-term and values-driven, but what we offer is stability and public acceptance, which is essential for any successful energy rollout. 

We know that projects with community involvement are more likely to succeed. That’s a form of de-risking for banks. So, we’re not just looking at traditional finance. We’re working with cooperative and ethical banks with mission-aligned investors. 

A good example is the Realisation Fund in the Netherlands. It supports cooperatives in the construction phase of large-scale photovoltaic projects with loans up to €1 million, covering up to 75% of the total realisation costs of the project. Now it’s working with multiple ethical and cooperative banks, including Rabobank.  

Another example is the Development Fund which, since April 2024, has launched a €25 Million specialised fund dedicated to community-led district heating, financed by the Ministry of Economic Affairs, to support up to 25 community-owned district heating pilot projects across the country. Managed by Energie Samen, the fund is structured into four phases, guiding projects from initial risk and development to full implementation, with a focus on knowledge sharing and standardisation to facilitate future replication. That kind of model shows what’s possible when public support and private finance align.  

It’s a big shift. We’re now seeing energy communities not just as grassroots experiments but as real market players, especially in countries like Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark. 

They’re delivering on renewables targets and helping roll out district heating and offshore wind. But more than that, they bring citizens into the process. They make projects more acceptable and more successful. 

The 2019 Clean Energy Package was a turning point. It gave energy communities a legal definition and policy backing. That was a clear signal. Citizens aren’t just consumers, they’re central to the energy transition. 

The Commission is now preparing a follow-up strategy: the so-called Citizen Energy Package to be published by the end of 2025 will include a list of measures to help Member States support citizen inclusion in the energy transition.

We once imagined a 2050 scenario where half of Europe’s population would produce their own energy. That vision still inspires us. 

By 2030, we can already build the foundations. A successful energy community is one where people feel they have control over their energy. They aren’t just paying bills but participating in decisions, owning infrastructure, and sharing power. 

Infrastructure-wise, we’ll see neighbourhoods with shared solar, wind, and heating systems. But the deeper change is cultural. Citizens will feel empowered, informed, and included. That’s the kind of system that lasts.