Renewable energy communities are defined as groups of citizens, businesses, and local authorities that come together to produce, consume, and share renewable energy. In this paper, insights about how a Multi-Agent System-based Community Energy Management System can manage interactions and real-time energy exchanges within a REC are given. Based on a real-world case study, results reveal an effective and efficient operation.
‘The whole is greater than the sum of the parts’: assessing the suitability of energy communities for the creation of positive energy districtsScientific paper - - 15 Sep 2025Based on experiences from Alkmaar and Évora, this article published by Ceciel Nieuwenhout and Lea Diestelmeier for the University of Groningen assesses whether energy communities are suitable to develop PEDs in cities from an EU law perspective. Although a promising concept, there are some mismatches between the legal definition and the needs of PEDs in reality.
Positive Energy Districts and Dutch Energy LawScientific paper - - 10 Sep 2025One of the possibilities to relieve grid congestion increase in the Netherlands is local optimisation in Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) Although the concept PED knows no legal definition, various legal issues impact PEDs. This article first introduces the PED concept and the EU law basis, after which it compares the current legal framework in the Netherlands with the future situation after adoption of the new Energy Act (2024). The article concludes with an analysis and recommendations regarding changes to Dutch energy law that further facilitate the implementation of PEDs.
Different energy poverty issues, different engagement behaviors? An empirical analysis of citizen groups in EuropeScientific paper - - 23 Apr 2025INESC TEC provides empirical insights into how energy-poor citizens exercise agency through engagement behaviors and offers actionable insights for designing measures to mitigate energy poverty, in complementarity with technical and economical solutions.
The dual role of customer-citizen engagement for sustainabilityScientific paper - - 25 Feb 2025This study contributes to advancing our understanding of customer and citizen engagement by developing a new framework through the qualitative analysis of 126 articles. The integrated framework highlights the interplay between citizen and customer roles and the impact of their relationships with multiple objects on sustainability.
Citizen engagement with sustainable energy solutions: understanding the influence of perceived value on engagement behaviorsScientific paper - - 10 Jan 2024This study examines how different forms of perceived value of Sustainable Energy Solution influence different types of citizen engagement behaviors, through a quantitative study that involed 456 citizens from the city of Alkmaar.
Developing energy flexibility in clusters of buildings: a critical analysis of barriers from planning to operationScientific paper - - 15 Dec 2023This paper proposes a number of targeted research directions to address challenges and promote greater energy flexibility deployments. INESC TEC examines building energy flexibility at an aggregated level and addresses the main barriers and research gaps for the development of this resource across three design and development phases: market and policy, early planning and design, and operation.
Integrating flexibility and energy local markets with wholesale balancing responsibilities in the context of renewable energy communitiesScientific paper - - 01 Nov 2023Learn more about innovative designs for local energy markets and local flexibility markets based on common collective self-consumption rules of existing regulations. This scientific paper shows a conceptual approach to integrate them together and with the wholesale market balancing responsibilities of the retailers and aggregators involved, identifying existing regulatory barriers.
Assessment of energy sharing coefficients under the new Portuguese renewable energy communities regulationScientific paper - - 10 Oct 2023This paper presents an analysis of the energy sharing coefficients proposed by the newly published Portuguese legislation via the assessment of a renewable energy community, formed by public buildings, whose operation varies according to different sharing coefficient applied.
The Benefits of Positive Energy Districts: introducing Additionality Assessment in Évora, Amsterdam and EspooScientific paper - - 17 Sep 2023Positive Energy Districts (PEDs) effectiveness and justification for investment rely on understanding the additional value they provide in comparison to current policies and planning methods. This paper introduces the concept of additionality in the evaluation of PEDs, focusing on the additional benefits they bring and the circumstances under which they are most effective.
