Energy Community Training Pack (Update 2.4)

The Austrian training programme provides practical guidance on setting up and running Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) in line with Austrian legislation. It focuses on enabling citizens, municipalities, and SMEs to jointly produce and use renewable energy locally.

Key topics covered:

• Overview of different community energy models in Austria (REC, CEC, joint generation)
• Legal structures, membership criteria and governance
• Technical and spatial requirements for local and regional RECs
• Financial benefits: reduced grid tariffs, tax exemptions, and funding opportunities
• Step-by-step process: from planning to operation
• Roles of initiators, members, service providers, and network operators
• Support services from the regional energy agency (advice, analysis, networking)

The Bulgarian training programme offers a multidisciplinary approach to community energy, combining social, technical, and financial aspects to support the development of renewable energy communities. It places a strong emphasis on community empowerment, local engagement, and energy efficiency.

Key topics covered:

• Community development and inclusive participation in energy transitions
• Social justice, empowerment, and citizen-led energy initiatives
• Project planning and management: from concept to implementation
• Financial planning: budgeting, funding sources, risk analysis
• Energy efficiency in buildings and behavioural change for savings
• Renewable energy technologies: heat pumps, biomass, photovoltaics
• System design for heating, cooling, and domestic hot water in nZEBs
• Microgeneration and energy storage for community applications

The German training programme provides foundational knowledge on citizen energy, focusing on planning, community development, and legal and financial frameworks. It supports citizens, municipalities and cooperatives in initiating renewable energy projects aligned with Germany’s energy transition goals.

Key topics covered:

• Introduction to renewable energy sources: wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, and hydro
• Legal and policy frameworks: EU directives, national laws and support programmes
• Principles of citizen energy: participation, local value creation, democratic ownership
• Community development: empowerment, inclusion, local engagement
• Step-by-step guidance: planning and launching local renewable energy projects
• Financial planning, funding opportunities and best-practice examples

The German Energy Community Training Pack is also available as a podcast

Setting up and running a community generation project will keep you busy. Let us help you by providing your community with training that will make the journey that bit easier. We aim to offer facilitated training in group sessions that are interactive and pitched at the right level for your community.

Please contact the team if you are interested or have any questions. We plan to offer a range of training opportunities in the coming months on the following areas:

• Community Engagement & Project Buy in
• Community Development
• Community Business Model Development

The Slovenian training programme offers a comprehensive overview of community energy concepts, including legal frameworks, organisational models and financial planning. The focus lies on empowering citizens and municipalities to take an active role in the energy transition through structured project development and inclusive participation.

Key topics covered:

• Legal forms and roles of energy communities (RECs and CECs) under Slovenian law
• Community development: participation, empowerment and social inclusion
• Business planning: feasibility, risk assessment, budgeting, funding strategies
• Project financing: public and private funding, green loans, EU instruments, crowdfunding
• Step-by-step approach: from project idea to implementation and operation
• Practical aspects of grid access, permits and recurring operational costs
• Benefits of collective renewable energy investment and long-term energy savings

The Spanish training programme provides an overview of the policy, technical, and social dimensions of renewable energy communities, with a focus on community engagement and sustainable project development.

Key topics covered:

• Core concepts and EU policy (incl. Clean Energy Package and Spain’s PNIEC)
• Community development: inclusive participation, empowerment and social equity
• Technical, economic and financial aspects of energy projects
• Project planning: cost control, funding (public, private, crowdfunding), risk mitigation
• Overview of relevant renewable technologies: solar, wind, hydro, bioenergy
• Tools and guidance to initiate and manage sustainable local energy projects

Spanish Training Pack available as podcasts