The ACCE project focuses on creating simple and effective financial tools for energy communities
The demand for innovative financing models tailored to the needs of energy communities is growing but the market is not providing adequate solutions. The market gap between available funding and the specific needs of community energy initiatives is widening.
However, all across Europe we see the emergence of new alternatives: Community Energy Financing Schemes (CEFS). Our project aims to harness the wisdom of these pioneering European models by replicating and adapting them across the continent.
Community energy is a broad term describing the participation of private citizen in the energy markets. Community energy initiatives often share similar characteristics, focusing on justice and affordability of the energy – and the management of the energy as a common.
Community energy tends to be a rather large term that covers collective action models from private citizens, with and without institutional backing. In the ACCE project, we focus specifically on project where citizens (private people) are taking a leading role and hold the control through democratic governance.
Are you an investor, policymaker or energy community? Then you should take a look at our CEFS.
Whether you're part of a community energy project, a public or private
financing institution, or simply seeking to deepen your understanding,
our resource library offers a wealth of carefully curated tools and
materials.
This guide aims at facilitating the set-up of a CEFS. For doing so, it identifies the main barriers, and their resulting bottlenecks to set up a CEFS, and highlights solutions to overcome those barriers and transform obstacles into opportunities.
In this guide, we identify the main types of CEFSs that energy communities could use. We also describe the key characteristics and and success factors of each of these CEFS.
Across Europe, more than 1.5 million citizens are actively involved in the energy transition. A common challenge many face is limited access to capital.
That’s where Project ACCE hopes to provide a solution: in devising financing solutions crafted to align with the specific requirements of community energy projects.
Our approach builds on the proven success of existing Community Energy Financing Schemes (CEFS), which have already been instrumental in bolstering energy communities throughout Europe.
The ACCE project has received funding from the LIFE Programme of the European Union.
Disclaimer: The ACCE website reflects the views of the project partnership and does not necessarily reflect the views of the European Commission. The European Commission is not responsible for any use that may be made of the information it contains.
