Renewable Energy Communities Explained

Picture a community where neighbors come together to invest in and benefit from renewable energy projects. This is the essence of Renewable Energy Communities, shorten REC. The shift toward renewable energy is becoming increasingly critical worldwide and these communities are at the forefront of this transition. They represent a collaborative approach to producing, consuming, and managing renewable energy, focusing on local, sustainable solutions such as solar and wind energy. Find out how our services can support Renewable Communities by optimizing energy usage, enhancing integration of various renewable sources and involving users into the transition.

What are REC?

To begin with, REC are groups of individuals or organizations that pool resources to fund renewable energy projects. These projects often include solar panels, wind turbines, and energy storage systems. The primary goal of Renewable Energy Communities is to reduce reliance on fossil fuels, lower energy costs, and enhance energy efficiency for all members. By participating in an REC, community members share the benefits of renewable energy, from reduced energy bills to a lower carbon footprint.

How do REC work?

Renewable Energy Communities are groups made up of local residents, social entrepreneurs, community organizations, and public authorities. These members work together as volunteers, investors, or participants to support energy projects in their community. Members of REC’s generate renewable electricity for their own use and can either store it or sell it on the free electricity market or to other members of the same energy community.

The energy generated comes from various renewable sources. Given these attributes, they are commonly called “self-consumers” or “prosumers.” When designing an energy community, a key consideration is the optimal arrangement of technologies and energy-sharing strategies among its members. Consequently, the success of the community depends on choosing the right systems for generating and managing energy. This is why energy management softwares are crucial for the long-term sustainability of a Renewable Energy Community.

Acknowledging the potential of energy communities to enhance Europe’s energy system in terms of security, affordability, and cleanliness, the REPowerEU Plan set a collective political goal to establish one energy community per municipality with a population exceeding 10,000 by 2025.

The collective energy activities within an energy community encompass a wide range of functions. These include energy generation, electricity distribution, energy supply, aggregation, consumption, sharing, storage, and the provision of energy-related services and technologies.

Considered the energy activities necessary in a REC, in the next section we will explore the role of energy management systems and which activities they can support.

The role of energy monitoring and management

Monitoring and management softwares serve as the backbone of energy optimization in Renewable Communities. These systems provide real-time data, predictive analytics, and automation capabilities that help in managing energy consumption and generation more efficiently. Here are some of the ways that our energy efficiency platform e·boost supports renewable communities:

1. Data monitoring and analytics: Our AI-based system continuously collects data from various sources, including solar panels, wind turbines, and smart meters. Users can see real-time energy consumption and production, allowing them to adjust usage patterns to optimize efficiency. Moreover, the e·boost platform and app provide real-time status updates for machinery and processes, including electric, gas, and water metering. As RECs have a large number of facilities, it is essential to guarantee the monitoring of plants’ performance anytime and anywhere.
2. Prosumer ship and self-consumption: Many renewable communities use a mix of solar, wind, and other renewable sources. Energy management systems (EMSs) can integrate these sources to ensure a balanced and reliable energy supply. In addition, effective management of energy storage systems, such as batteries, is crucial. EMSs can optimize when to store excess energy and when to release it, ensuring a steady energy supply even when generation is low. For communities connected to the national grid, these apps can manage when to draw power from the grid or feed excess renewable energy back into it, optimizing both cost and energy efficiency.
3. Predictive analytics and maintenance: Regular maintenance is gradually being supplemented by condition monitoring and predictive maintenance. The latter is able to monitor the operation of plants and, through the use of machine learning, predict possible failures before they occur. e·boost can predict when maintenance is needed based on performance data, preventing unexpected breakdowns and ensuring continuous energy production. This approach dramatically reduces asset management costs and improves efficiency by continuously assessing asset health and detecting anomalies.
4. Enhancement of grids’ stability: By carefully managing when and how energy is consumed or stored, RECs can contribute to grid stability. Our energy management system help in predicting and managing peak loads and potential shortfalls, thus reducing the strain on the external grid and enhancing overall reliability.
5. User engagement and education: Providing feedback on energy consumption helps users understand their energy use patterns and how they can reduce wastage. Energy management systems can support incentive programs by tracking energy savings and rewarding users for adopting energy-efficient practices. The sense of community can be encouraged by sharing data on how the collective efforts are contributing to sustainability goals. In our platform, advanced energy monitoring data is presented in a comprehensive yet intuitive dashboard. Renewable communities can measure their carbon footprint with direct CO2 impact calculations and identify consumption patterns with customized reports on energy efficiency and historical trends.

VEIL energy’e role 

Monitoring and management apps are vital tools for optimizing energy usage and integrating renewable energy sources in Renewable Energy Communities. Our services can support them by providing advanced energy management solutions that optimize usage and integration of various renewable sources. With real-time monitoring, predictive analytics, and automation, our platform ensures efficient energy consumption, improved grid stability, and proactive maintenance. By engaging users and facilitating transparent data access, we help communities reduce costs, boost sustainability, and achieve their energy goals effectively.

Do not hesitate to contact us for a demo, energy audit or more information about our services!