Renewables: From Monopoly to Democratisation

The text examines the role of energy communities in mitigating the 'green backlash' and far-right growth in Europe. It contrasts industrial-scale renewable projects, which often exclude rural populations in countries like Spain and Greece, with community-led initiatives that prioritize socio-environmental benefits over profit. The author highlights that community energy projects can provide up to eight times more economic benefit to local economies than private projects. Examples of innovation include agri-photovoltaic projects in Greece and North Macedonia, and a biomass heating network in Spain. The document calls for EU and member state support to ensure that the energy transition is inclusive and democratic, preventing profits from accruing only to large companies.

• Industrial-scale renewable energy projects in rural areas of Spain and Greece often exclude local communities, leading residents to perceive the green transition as an imposition by urban elites.
• Community energy projects generate significantly higher local economic value than private, for-profit alternatives, providing up to 8 times more economic benefits to local economies.
• Energy communities facilitate social inclusion across class, gender, and ethnicity, and can address energy poverty by providing free shares of collective self-consumption projects to vulnerable households.
• Specific innovative community projects are being implemented, such as urban community agri-photovoltaic projects in Ioannina, Greece, and Skopje, North Macedonia, and a community-led heating network using cereal and forest residues in Aberasturi, Spain.
• Despite the allocation of Recovery and Resilience and Cohesion funds in Spain and Greece to support energy communities, public funds are frequently absorbed by large companies that lack the social components of local ownership and democratic participation.

APA

Pappa, C. M. E. M. S. T. S. (2024). Renewables: From Monopoly to Democratisation. Green European Journal. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/renewables-from-monopoly-to-democratisation/

Chicago

Pappa, Chris Merveille, Erika Martinez, Sara Tachelet, Stavroula. Renewables: From Monopoly to Democratisation. Green European Journal, 2024. https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/renewables-from-monopoly-to-democratisation/.

Wikipedia

{{cite press release |last1=Pappa |first1=Chris Merveille, Erika Martinez, Sara Tachelet, Stavroula |title=Renewables: From Monopoly to Democratisation |publisher=Green European Journal |date=23 May 2024 |url=https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/renewables-from-monopoly-to-democratisation/ |access-date=23 October 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@misc{pappa2024renewables, author = {Pappa, Chris Merveille, Erika Martinez, Sara Tachelet, Stavroula}, title = {{Renewables: From Monopoly to Democratisation}}, publisher = {Green European Journal}, year = {2024}, month = may, url = {https://www.greeneuropeanjournal.eu/renewables-from-monopoly-to-democratisation/}, urldate = {2026-10-23}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }