Communication and promotion on RECs through local “information desks”
About this good practice
- 2022: enactment of Legislative Decree 199/2021 which transposes the EU Directive 2018/2001 on the promotion of the use of energy from renewable sources and which defines the REC as a legal entity based on "open participation and voluntary"
- JAN 2024: Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security Decree Publication
- FEB 2024: Energy Service Manager Publication of the operating rules to access the incentives and financing
- APR 2024: requests for fundings can be asked through the GSE portal
Seen that at today RECs are poorly spread across the national territory nor are there significant experiences activated in the Tuscan territory it is therefore essential to support their creation and spreading.
Tuscany has launched through ARRR (in house company of the Tuscany Region) the CERTO campaign, a communication campaign addressed in particular to Tuscan citizens, aimed not only at offering a clear and easily usable definition of "energy community” but above all on how they can be set up, how they can develop and assure economic sustainability.
The campaign guarantees territorial animation, and shares information to the public, activating forms of collaboration and ensuring particular attention to initiatives to promote RECs by local authorities and community cooperatives. It is aimed both at convincing the promoters of a REC to develop it from the bottom in order to make the benefits in the area, and to provide support to evaluate any offers from ESCos, utilities, etc.
Resources needed
ARRR has trained staff in each local branch office functioning as an information desk.
For this activity ARRR is employing
N.4 Project Managers (1 per each different geographical area) employed for 25% of their full time
N.4 Project Assistants (to support them) employed for 25% of their full time
Evidence of success
ARRR has organized more than 100 events both online/in presence.
Many Municipalities have started the process to establish a REC with a resolution of the Municipal Council identifing plants or areas for the production by RES, the methods of participation, the statute for participatory governance. At the moment in Tuscany there are more than 10 already established RECs of which 1 receiving incentives and 50 in the process of being established and a first DB of RECs in Tuscany has been set up.
Potential for learning or transfer
This GP is an experience that doesn’t need huge costs and it resulted to be efficient. It could be replicable in different areas of the Region and reaches many citizens and local authorities in every meeting that is organized.
Forms of collaboration and exchange of information have been activated with ANCI (Association of Municipalities), citizens' associations, consumers' associations, trade associations and anyone else who wishes to commit to the diffusion of RECs.
It’s also a good way to let people meet each other and exchange their experiences and critical issues in etsablishing a REC and to let the Region and public administrations in general know which are their main needs and which tools could be useful to help them in solving their difficulties.
Further information
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Good practice owner
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