Energy System: A Citizen-Based Energy System

Energy System: A Citizen-Based Energy System Community For Bioenergy

Energy System: A Citizen-Based Energy System Community For Bioenergy

The energy system in the revised Renewable Energy Directive (2018/2001), the EU considers energy communities crucial to further increasing renewable energy production from the market and instructs the Member States to implement regulatory frameworks to activate and facilitate this process. At the same time, many barriers prevent citizens from becoming bioenergy producers as well as affect the attractiveness of bioenergy projects. These include the lack of readiness of communities to make full use of the potential of the bioenergy market [1], the lack of awareness about local bioenergy potential and the absence (at the local, regional and national level) of an appropriate policy framework. For a citizen-based energy system, Horizon 2020 (BECoop) aims to make "bio-energy communities" pioneers in local renewable energy production.

Although significant progress has been made in the EU for a more efficient transition to clean energy, the rate of RES penetration in the three key energy sectors (electricity, heat & cooling, transport) is significantly disproportionate. It is noteworthy that there is a rather slow penetration of renewable energy in the heating and cooling sector in the EU, which represents 51% of total EU energy consumption, and is expected to represent the largest share of demand by 2050. Understanding the need for acceleration Efforts, the EU has adopted a target for an annual increase of 1.3% in renewable heat over the next decade.

Along with the challenge of increasing the penetration of renewable heating, there is at the same time a significant, untapped potential of renewable energy that must be seriously considered, bioenergy. Derived from biologically organic materials, bioenergy can be used to produce, among other things, electricity, heat and fuel. Although not fully utilized, it has in practice the highest potential for heat replacement with fossil fuels, while remaining the main technology used in renewable heating in the EU. will be vital to achieving the EU's set environmental objectives. 

In addition to scientific and technological innovations, increasing renewable energy production also depends on citizens' perceptions. In this context, energy communities and energy cooperatives (EKOIN) provide an ideal means of supporting a more efficient, equitable and democratized transition to clean energy, offering multiple benefits: helping Cope with climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. greenhouse gas, help alleviate energy poverty, create jobs, guarantee the security of energy supply and more.

Bioenergy communities can play a catalytic role in the market uptake of bioenergy heating technologies, but their development today remains significantly slow. While there are undoubtedly numerous ECOIs throughout Europe, the vast majority of them focus on the exploitation of solar and wind energy, with only a small percentage of them having activities related to the energy use of biomass. In addition, the geographical dispersion of EKOINs is limited, as 80% of them are located in either Germany or Denmark. At the same time, in terms of the type of energy produced, electricity takes the lion's share, as opposed to heat.

There is a clear need to activate the potential of Community bioenergy in the market, and that is exactly what BECoop, a new project funded by Horizon 2020, seeks to do. BECoop's ambition is to promote the development of bioenergy heating technologies throughout Europe, by providing the necessary conditions, technical and business support tools as well as by strengthening the demand for bioenergy and minimizing the risks of investing in community projects. bioenergy.

The project aims to make Community bioenergy projects more attractive to potential stakeholders and to promote new links and collaborations between the international bioenergy community. The project will investigate and identify the factors that either facilitate or hinder the absorption of Community bioenergy in the market and based on this information, will support and activate policymakers to establish appropriate frameworks for Community bioenergy. In total, 4 pilot cases from Europe (Spain, Greece, Poland, Italy) have been selected, consisting of either existing energy communities seeking to include bio-energy heating projects (district heating, pellet boilers, forest biomass) or by local/national authorities aiming to launch new Community bioenergy structures to support their clean energy goals. The selected cases represent a wide range of energy community cases, with differences in the general context and socio-economic environment, the maturity of Community bioenergy actions, and the range of renewable energy penetration in the heating market, thus providing a highly complementary composition.

The project is coordinated by White Research, a Belgian-based social research consulting firm specializing in consumer behaviour, market analysis and innovation management in the fields of Energy, Health, and Information Technology (ICT). Transport, Georgia, and other related sectors and sub-sectors.

From the Greek side, the National Center for Research and Technological Development (CERTH ) / Institute of Chemical Processes and Energy Resources (IDEP) participates in the BECoop project, the Energy Community of Karditsa SYN.PE. (ESEK) and Q - PLAN International. 

The CERTH / IDEP is responsible for the technical support of the project pilot for the development and promotion of EU bioenergy. CERTH / IDEP coordinates the work related to the guidance of the project pilots for the selection of appropriate technologies and the implementation of proposed solutions for the development of community bioenergy in the individual communities, as well as contributes to the dissemination of the project results.

H CVTS is responsible for developing and planning local activities and events. As an ambassador of bio-energy communities, in the context of activities and events, ESEK will organize small-scale demonstrations, will contact potential stakeholders, will organize public awareness campaigns, etc. with a view to the development and operation of bioenergy communities in the field of renewable heating.

The Q - PLAN International is responsible for the development of a platform for cooperation and exchange of expertise and best practices on the ecosystem of Community bioenergy at the European level while coordinating the development of a network of Interest to mobilize all stakeholders, as the society in the field of Community bioenergy. At the same time, it coordinates the development of business development plans, networking actions and the provision of business consulting support. Finally, he will draft the Project for the Utilization of the results of the project.