Case study: Energy communities: getting started with digitalisation
| Site: | OpenLearn Create |
| Course: | Every1 case studies |
| Book: | Case study: Energy communities: getting started with digitalisation |
| Printed by: | Guest user |
| Date: | Saturday, 13 June 2026, 6:41 AM |
1. Welcome
Digital tools can help energy communities plan, invest, operate and grow more effectively. As an energy community member or leader, you might be keen to find out more about digital tools. You may be considering:
- What kinds of digital tools might best support your energy community.
- How you could support citizens and energy community members to engage with different digital tools.
By reviewing this case study, you will:
- Be able to name the key features of a digitalised energy community.
Every1 case studies aim to support conversation, reflection and action on a key topic. Case studies provide key facts, examples, a short video, practical advice and reflective questions.
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2. Factsheet
Depending on the aims of your energy community, digital tools can support you in different ways. In this fact sheet you will:
- Find out why using digital tools could benefit your energy community.
- Explore the key features of a digitalised energy community.
- Consider two energy community success stories.
Go deeper with these further resources:
- Explore Digital tools for energy communities – a short guide.
- Discover how you can get involved in the European federation of energy communities through REScoop.eu
Be inspired by more examples of European energy communities and other initiatives using digital tools:
- Find out how the BUNDLE UP project in Portugal supported more than 60 digital energy projects in Bundling up sustainable energy investments through Energy Performance Contracting and crowdlending.
- Read Stad Leuven, ECoOB en Ecopower nodigen uit om mee te investeren in zonnepanelen op 10 publieke gebouwen (BE)
- Explore Energiecoöperatie ECoOB ontwikkelt laadstation voor 190 elektrische voertuigen bij Hungaria Building(BE)
3. Video
This video explores how digital tools and services supported an energy community to implement Croatia's first citizen-owned solar power plant:
Time to reflect: If your community were to launch a digitalised energy project, what social or environmental benefits would you most want it to create - and how could technology help realise those?
4. Reflective Questions
If you are an energy community leader, you may want to consider these questions together with others in your energy community. These questions will help you explore what digital tools might be appropriate for your context and plans:
- What are the main aims of your energy community?
- What are the key priorities for your energy community in the next 12-months? The next 5-years? The next decade?
- What changes to the way you operate would benefit your members and/or the wider community?
- How can you plan for your key priorities?
- What types of investment are needed?
- What kinds of support, funding opportunities and/or collaboration could help support you?
- What kinds of digital tools align with the aims of your energy community?
- How will you evaluate potential digital tools and ensure their sustainable use?
- How will you ensure interoperability between different digital tools?
5. Other Every1 Resources
You may find the following learning materials from Every1 useful:
- Deepen your understanding with our Energy communities: how to evaluate digital technologies case study.
- Browse the Energy Communities: IT Basics slide deck.
- Explore learning materials in our curated Security and Data Privacy in Energy Systems learning pathway.
- Read the case study Empowering tenants for energy reduction: A win-win in digital transition.
You can also explore our Every1 Knowledge Hub, which has more than 80 different learning materials on digital energy topics, many available in a range of European languages.
6. Acknowledgements
This case study and its components were created by the Every1 project and are licensed CC BY-SA 4.0, unless otherwise stated.
Main case study image: macbook pro on brown wooden table by Samantha Borges is licensed under an Unsplash license.
Factsheet
Icons used (aside from the Every1 logo, funded by the EU logo and related images) are used according to Canva licensing terms.
Video
This video is part of the Energy communities: Getting started with digitalisation case study produced by the Every1 project (https://every1.energy), funded by the European Union’s (EU) Horizon Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) under grant agreement No 101075596. The sole responsibility for the content of this video lies with the Every1 project and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union. The video is licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en), unless otherwise stated.
This video includes theme music Aura by DayNigthMorning via Pixabay. The voiceover for this video was created using Freepik. The opening logo was inspired by a Canva Pro licensed image featured in the Every1 Guide to Energy Efficiency and Smart Technologies and redrawn and animated using Adobe After Effects with the inclusion of a redrawn leaf image from the Noun Project Pro Royalty-Free license. Noun project icons Society and Economy were redrawn and used in accordance with a Noun Project Pro Royalty-Free license. The blockchain image was developed by Peter Devine for the Every1 project. Social media was created using a Fontawesome free font. The image used at 01:21:00 is Solar Panels all done! By Mike Spasoff and licensed CC BY 2.0. All other images were created using Freepik under a Premium license (unlimited use without attribution). The Every1 and “Funded by the European Commission” logos are used with associated permissions.
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Programme for Research and Innovation (2021-2027) under grant agreement No 101075596. The sole responsibility for the content of this course lies with the Every1 project and does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the European Union.