For many energy communities, securing economic viability and access to finance is one of the biggest challenges. From developing robust business plans to navigating complex administrative procedures and establishing credibility with financial institutions, the path to implementation can be arduous.
The European Energy Communities Facility supports energy communities across Europe by offering funding and capacity building opportunities, helping ensure that projects are financially sustainable and designed for long-term success. Below, you can explore some of these opportunities:
Learning programme
The self-paced online training programme is tailored for energy community practitioners seeking to develop robust business plans that foster long-term sustainability and growth. Whether you’re refining an existing plan or starting from scratch, the programme offers practical tools, real-world examples and structured guidance to support your success.
By completing this programme, you will be able to:
- Articulate the unique value your energy community provides to members and society
- Map and engage diverse stakeholder groups effectively
- Select appropriate governance structures and business models for your context
- Develop realistic financial projections and funding strategies
- Create actionable project implementation plans with clear milestones
- Design monitoring and evaluation systems to track progress and impact
- Build strategies for long-term sustainability and growth
- Navigate regulatory requirements and compliance considerations
Programme duration: Self-paced (recommended 4-8 weeks). The total programme consists of around 12 hours of learning.
Language: English (with automatic translation support).
Find One-Stop Shops in your area
One-Stop Shops (OSS) play a key role in supporting energy communities, serving as a central hub where citizens can access guidance, technical expertise, and financial support for their projects. The European Energy Communities Facility has mapped national and regional OSS for energy communities in the 27 EU countries, Iceland, Moldova, North Macedonia and Ukraine.
Whether you are starting a new initiative or looking to scale an existing project, the One-Stop Shops listed below provide support to help you grow your community energy project.
Energy Community policies at the national level
The European Energy Communities Facility has conducted a comprehensive analysis of national legislation for energy communities across the 27 EU countries and Ukraine. Each country fiche offers a clear overview of key elements, including the legal definitions of Renewable Energy Communities and Citizen Energy Communities, the frameworks that enable their establishment, available financing and support mechanisms, as well as an assessment of potential barriers and opportunities.
These analyses serve as a valuable resource for policymakers, regulators and researchers, allowing them to compare national approaches and identify best practices. By highlighting both challenges and enabling factors, the fiches help inform the development of effective policies and support mechanisms for energy communities across Europe.
Following a successful first call with nearly 700 applications, stay tuned for the launch of the Facility’s second call in May!
