Biogas forum
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According to the European Union, an energy community is a legal entity that empowers “citizens, small businesses and local authorities to produce, manage and consume their own energy.”
Energy communities that focus on creating and distributing renewable energy are called Renewable Energy Communities (RECs). More specifically, a REC is a group of citizens, commercial activities, local public administrations, and small- and medium-sized enterprises that come together to produce, exchange and use energy produced from renewable plants (photovoltaic, biogas, wind, hydroelectric, and so on) on a local scale. Participants in a REC can take part as:
- Producer: they receive a part of subsidies reserved to the REC, helping them repay the investment in the renewable plants in a few years;
- Consumer: in this case, they receive a quota of subsidies by simply consuming the energy, while incurring no costs;
- Prosumer (Producer and Consumer): in this scenario, participants attain the benefits enjoyed by both producer and consumer.
There are many benefits associated with a renewable energy community: Reducing pollutant and greenhouse emissions into the environment; Reducing the energy expenditure of members (combating energy poverty); Spreading a culture of sustainability and a sense of belonging to a community; Increase stability of the electricity system and reduce distribution losses; Decentralizing energy distribution, in turn promoting a more sustainable energy production and consumption pattern; Increasing employment with qualified professionals; Engaging, informing and training stakeholders; Promoting the territorial economy.
Once we have framed what is meant by a renewable energy community and what its advantages are, it is easy to realize that electricity generated from biogas, along with that produced by wind and photovoltaic plants, can play a key role in achieving 100 percent green electricity load coverage. With this in mind, the combination of biogas and renewable energy communities could be a successful solution with significant benefits for all stakeholders and citizens.
What do you think of this technological solution?
Do you know of examples of renewable energy communities implementing biogas plants?
