Energy / Europe
Monitor Europe energy trends, electricity markets, supply pressure, regulation and regional resource dynamics.
Second Chatting on Citizen Energy webinar – The Citizen Energy Advisory Hub
Topic
Citizen Energy and Energy Sharing
Key insights
- Zoe Ledworth welcomes participants to a discussion on energy sharing, emphasizing its role in enabling consumers to collectively self-consume locally produced renewable energy.
- The webinar is part of the Citizen Energy Advisory Hub (SEA), an initiative by the European Commission aimed at promoting a citizen-centered energy transition.
- SEA began in January and is a three-year initiative designed to empower citizens in Europe's clean energy transformation.
- Participants are encouraged to share their experiences and challenges related to energy sharing during the Q&A session.
- The webinar features expert speakers including a policy officer from the European Commission, a consultant from ESCA on Energy Consulting, and a representative from a business energy community in Catalonia.
- The program will last about 90 minutes, including presentations and a Q&A session, with a focus on fostering a lively discussion.
Perspectives
Webinar focused on citizen energy and energy sharing initiatives in Europe.
Citizen Energy Advocates
- Promotes collective self-consumption of renewable energy
- Highlights the importance of consumer participation in energy transition
- Emphasizes the need for regulatory support for energy sharing
- Describes energy sharing as a solution to rising energy costs
- Encourages sharing experiences and best practices among participants
Skeptics of Energy Sharing
- Questions the complexity of energy sharing regulations
- Raises concerns about the effectiveness of current energy sharing models
- Challenges the feasibility of implementing energy sharing in diverse contexts
- Critiques the administrative burden on participants in energy sharing
Neutral / Shared
- Discusses the role of the European Commission in promoting citizen energy
- Mentions the rise of distributed energy generation and its implications
- Notes the importance of consumer protection in energy sharing agreements
Metrics
initiative_duration_years
three years
duration of the Citizen Energy Advisory Hub initiative
A three-year initiative indicates a long-term commitment to energy transition.
SEA began in January of this year and it's a three year initiative
webinar_duration_minutes
90 minutes
length of the webinar program
A 90-minute program allows for in-depth discussion and engagement.
Today's program will last about 90 minutes.
imbalance_costs
increased amount of electricity that is being put on the network
refers to the costs arising from the difference between generated and consumed electricity
Higher imbalance costs can deter investment in renewable energy solutions.
there is an increased amount of electricity that is being put on the network as well.
energy_prices
high prices were stemming from the market
indicates the impact of market coupling with natural gas prices on electricity prices
Understanding price dynamics is crucial for policy and investment decisions.
a lot of the high prices were stemming from the market and the market coupling to the natural gas prices
transposition_deadline
17th of July 2026
Deadline for implementing energy sharing regulations
This deadline is crucial for member states to comply with new energy sharing laws.
Transposition deadline is the 17th of July 2026
total_consumption_kwh
6 kilowatt hours kWh
Total consumption by Janet in the energy sharing example
Understanding individual consumption helps assess the impact of energy sharing on bills.
total consumption by Janet of six kilowatt hours
shared_energy_kwh
5 kilowatt hours kWh
Amount of energy shared from Peter's installation to Janet
This illustrates the potential savings and efficiency of energy sharing.
five kilowatt hours comes from the installation that is owned by Peter
supplier_energy_kwh
1 kilowatt hour kWh
Energy supplied by the supplier after sharing
This shows the remaining energy consumption that is billed by the supplier.
one kilowatt hour of energy is then still supplied by the supplier
Key entities
Timeline highlights
00:00–05:00
The Citizen Energy Advisory Hub empowers consumers to collectively self-consume renewable energy, fostering a citizen-centered energy transition in Europe.
- Zoe Ledworth welcomes participants to a discussion on energy sharing, emphasizing its role in enabling consumers to collectively self-consume locally produced renewable energy.
- The webinar is part of the Citizen Energy Advisory Hub (SEA), an initiative by the European Commission aimed at promoting a citizen-centered energy transition.
- SEA began in January and is a three-year initiative designed to empower citizens in Europe's clean energy transformation.
- Participants are encouraged to share their experiences and challenges related to energy sharing during the Q&A session.
- The webinar features expert speakers including a policy officer from the European Commission, a consultant from ESCA on Energy Consulting, and a representative from a business energy community in Catalonia.
- The program will last about 90 minutes, including presentations and a Q&A session, with a focus on fostering a lively discussion.
05:00–10:00
The rise of distributed energy generation has led to increased imbalance costs, prompting the EU to activate consumer participation in energy sharing models to mitigate high energy prices.
- Energy sharing became more prominent during the energy crisis, highlighting the need for balancing injected electricity with consumption.
- The integration of distributed energy generation by consumers has led to increased imbalance costs, particularly due to the rise of renewables.
- The 2019 electricity market directive shifted the EU's approach, activating consumers rather than keeping them passive in energy choices.
- Energy sharing models were established for multi-apartment buildings and energy communities, with varying levels of regulation and governance.
- The energy crisis post-COVID-19 prompted the commission to seek solutions for affordable energy access for consumers.
- High energy prices were linked to market coupling with natural gas prices, leading the commission to explore mechanisms to mitigate their impact on electricity bills.
10:00–15:00
The implementation of energy sharing regulations enables smaller consumers to participate actively in the energy market, potentially reducing their energy costs.
- The power per chase agreement allows larger actors to operate outside the wholesale market.
- Energy sharing is proposed to be further regulated for smaller consumers, including SMEs and households.
- The right to energy sharing is defined in article 15a of the directive 2024 1711, allowing self-consumption of off-site generated electricity.
- Energy sharing can occur within the same bidding zone or a limited geographical area, as determined by member states.
- Final customers, including energy communities, are granted the right to share electricity and take an active role in the energy system.
- Two options for energy sharing include collective investments through energy communities and energy sharing agreements between final customers.
15:00–20:00
The energy crisis has led to a surge in active projects, with 191 currently underway, and a shift towards energy sharing as a competitive alternative to retail markets.
- There are currently 191 active projects, with a significant growth expected in 2024 due to the energy crisis aftermath.
- Investment decisions were influenced by high retail prices, which have since stabilized but remain above pre-crisis levels.
- Energy sharing may become more competitive with retail markets, providing stable access to affordable energy.
- Integrating distributed energy resources like storage and smart charging is crucial for optimizing self-consumption in energy sharing.
- The Soon Suit project exemplifies how energy sharing can lower costs, particularly in social housing units.
- The Citizens Energy Package aims to lower energy bills, empower citizens, and ensure a just transition, with a transposition deadline set for 2026.
20:00–25:00
Energy sharing introduces a new consumer-to-consumer model that requires adherence to general consumer protection laws, ensuring transparency in billing and contracting.
- Energy sharing is a consumer-to-consumer model not typically covered by EU consumer protection law.
- Third party energy sharing organizers can operate systems and manage billing and contracting for energy sharing.
- General consumer protection law will apply to the new relationship between energy sharing organizers and final customers.
- Article 15 A provides specific protections for billing and contracting, ensuring transparent terms and conditions.
- The invoicing process for energy shared between individuals can vary by member state, with different entities responsible for issuing invoices.
- Options for invoicing include the system operator, the energy supplier, or the energy sharing organizer, depending on local regulations.
25:00–30:00
Collective self-consumption in Spain requires a meter to measure electricity production, which determines how electricity is shared among consumers, promoting local renewable energy use.
- Francisco is a regular speaker at international energy-related events and previously served as an associate professor.
- He discusses the European City Facility, a program by the European Commission supporting investment concepts for municipalities.
- The presentation focuses on collective self-consumption and its varying regulations across countries.
- Collective self-consumption allows a group of people in a local area to jointly consume and produce electricity, often from renewable sources.
- In Spain, collective self-consumption requires a meter to measure electricity production, which determines how electricity is shared among consumers.
- The current regulation in Spain mandates that electricity sharing is based on the percentage of production measured by the meter.