As the COMMUNITAS project reaches its final stage, the consortium has shared its main results, lessons learned and future recommendations for energy communities in Europe.
The final weeks of the project brought together researchers, technology developers, pilot representatives and stakeholders during two important events: an international conference session in Porto and a final online webinar for those who could not attend in person.
Both events focused on one key question: how can energy communities become practical, fair and scalable solutions for Europe’s energy transition?
From European Ambition to Real Energy Communities
COMMUNITAS started in January 2023. Over three and a half years, the project worked to support citizens in becoming more active participants in the energy market.
The project was created at a time when the European energy system was moving towards a more citizen-centred model. Energy communities offer people, municipalities, cooperatives and local organisations a way to produce, share and manage renewable energy together.
However, turning this idea into reality is not simple. Communities often face legal, technical, financial and social barriers. COMMUNITAS addressed these challenges by combining digital tools, citizen engagement, practical pilot testing, business models and policy recommendations.
COMMUNITAS at ICE2026 in Porto
From 22 to 24 June 2026, COMMUNITAS took part in ICE2026 – the International Conference on Engineering, Technology and Innovation, held in Porto, Portugal.
During the conference, the project hosted a dedicated session on energy communities and their role in a more democratic, flexible and consumer-centred energy system. The panel was led by the COMMUNITAS project coordinator, Maria Leonor Pereira, who guided the discussion and invited pilot representatives to share their direct experience.
The session was not only a presentation of results. It was also a conversation about what it really means to build and operate energy communities in different European contexts.
Pilot representatives discussed the challenges they faced, the current status of their communities and their vision for the future. Their insights showed that energy communities are not just technical projects. They are also social, regulatory and organisational journeys that depend on trust, clear benefits and local commitment.
What COMMUNITAS Has Developed
One of the main outcomes of COMMUNITAS is the COMMUNITAS Core Platform, a digital space designed to bring together tools and services for energy communities.
The project developed 12 tools that support different stages of an energy community’s journey. Some tools help communities understand how to get started. Others support investment planning, energy management, demand response, peer-to-peer energy exchange and the use of guarantees of origin.
In simple terms, the tools help answer questions such as:
what is an energy community, how can citizens join or create one, what should a community invest in, how can energy use be better managed, and how can local renewable energy create value for members?
The platform is supported by data from pilot sites, including monitoring devices and sensors. These data-driven tools can help communities see how energy is used and how consumption could be shifted to better match local renewable production.
Lessons from Pilot Communities
COMMUNITAS tested its approach in different types of pilot sites across Europe, including communities in Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Greece, Denmark and Croatia.
These pilots were at different stages of development. Some were already active energy communities. Others were still planning or exploring how an energy community could work in their local context.
This diversity was one of the project’s strengths. It showed that there is no single model that works everywhere. Each community has its own legal framework, technical conditions, social needs and local priorities.
Several common lessons emerged from the pilots.
First, digital tools must be simple and understandable. Even the most advanced tool will not be useful if citizens cannot clearly see what it does and how it benefits them.
Second, access to real-time data remains a major challenge. Many energy services, such as flexibility or automated optimisation, depend on reliable and timely data from homes, buildings and local energy systems.
Third, regulation still limits what energy communities can do in many countries. Peer-to-peer energy trading, flexibility markets and local energy sharing often depend on national rules that are still developing.
Fourth, citizen engagement is essential. Energy communities need trust, clear communication and visible benefits. People are more likely to participate when they understand the value of the community and feel that their needs are taken seriously.
Final Webinar: Energy Communities in Practice
On 29 June 2026, COMMUNITAS organised its final webinar, Energy Communities in Practice, for participants who could not attend the Porto conference but wanted to learn more about the project.
The webinar lasted more than two hours and gathered 54 participants. It offered a complete overview of the project’s work, from citizen engagement and digital tools to pilot experiences, business models, replication and policy recommendations.
The discussion highlighted many of the same central themes addressed in Porto: the importance of citizen participation, the need for practical and user-friendly tools, the role of data, and the barriers that still need to be removed for energy communities to scale.
Participants also discussed which tools were most useful for communities. The answers showed that usefulness depends on the stage of the community. More mature communities were especially interested in tools such as demand response, monitoring, optimisation and peer-to-peer exchange. Communities at an earlier stage found planning, investment and management tools particularly helpful.
What Comes Next for Energy Communities?
COMMUNITAS ends at an important moment for Europe’s energy transition. The project has shown that energy communities can help citizens become active energy players, but their future depends on several conditions.
Energy communities need clearer and more supportive regulation. They need stronger links with local authorities and grid operators. They also need business models that make them financially viable, not only inspiring for motivated groups.
The project’s work on business models and replication showed that energy communities should not be seen as a set of separate tools. Their value comes from combining technology, engagement, financing, services and local governance into practical models that communities can use.
The Replication Academy and Knowledge Base are intended to support this next step by making the project’s experience accessible to other communities, municipalities and stakeholders interested in developing similar initiatives.
A Strong Foundation for Future Energy Communities
COMMUNITAS is coming to an end, but its results remain relevant for the future of local energy systems in Europe.
The project has shown that energy communities can support renewable energy, citizen empowerment, flexibility and more inclusive participation in the energy transition. It has also shown that technology alone is not enough. Successful energy communities need people, trust, good governance, useful data, supportive regulation and realistic business models.
By bringing together technical experts, local pilots, researchers, citizens and policymakers, COMMUNITAS has created a strong foundation for future energy communities in Europe.
To learn more about the project results, tools and future replication opportunities, visit https://communitas-project.eu/.
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