Public, private, and philanthropic finance are coming together to design financial instruments capable of supporting the development of Renewable Energy Communities, drawing from the best experiences in Europe. This was the aim of the seminar organized by Legacoop, Coopfond, and REScoop.eu, along with a group of stakeholders from Italian public and private finance and philanthropy, held on Wednesday, September 25th at the Legacoop headquarters in Rome.

Several ACCE project partners joined the workshop in Rome to share their experiences in creating innovative Community Energy Financing Schemes (CEFS) and exploring financial solutions that allow energy communities to thrive, overcoming many existing barriers.

"Opening a dialogue," explains Legacoop President Simone Gamberini, "that can design financial instruments enabling energy communities to fully develop is a fundamental goal for us. When these communities are established in cooperative form, they simultaneously advance sustainability, development, and community empowerment. They are a key tool in building the new economy we need."

Energy communities represent an innovative and practical model for involving citizens in energy production projects that place people and local communities at the center. These communities generate economic benefits, reinvest resources locally, and enable active participation in the energy transition. Despite the groundwork laid by Italian legislation in 2021, the number of active energy communities in Italy remains limited.

A series of barriers, including regulatory challenges, continue to impede their growth, discouraging financial intermediaries from investing in these emerging entities. To address this, the seminar organizers—working under the RESPIRA project—reached out to REScoop.eu, the European federation of energy communities, to identify potential innovative Community Energy Financing Schemes (CEFS) and key stakeholders in Italy. These stakeholders, including Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, Fondazione Compagnia Sanpaolo, and several major Italian banks, are interested in the development of energy communities and have the potential to offer financial support.

During the seminar, special attention was given to financial instruments (CEFS) being implemented by ACCE project partners. For example, Energie Partagée (France) raised €43 million from citizens through a dedicated equity fund, while Energie Samen (The Netherlands) created funds, supported by both central and regional governments, to facilitate the development of renewable energy generation projects, which must be at least 50% citizen-owned.

Across all the case studies examined, two key factors emerged: technical assistance and the sharing of experiences. Networks such as Energie Partagée and Energie Samen aim to provide technical support during the early stages of energy community development, as well as to promote the widespread creation of new energy communities. Additionally, robust information campaigns and the need for intermediation between local communities, financial institutions, and regulatory bodies are critical to success.

The seminar saw strong participation from institutional stakeholders, who shared their perspectives and emphasized the importance of such discussions. Representatives from Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, the European Investment Bank, the ACCE project, Banca Etica, Unicredit, BPER, Intesa Sanpaolo, and the Compagnia Sanpaolo and Cariplo Foundations were present, aiming to work together—across public and private sectors—to identify the most suitable solutions for Italy.