NEBourhoods – Energy Communities

Energy communities empower neighbours to take ownership of their energy supply and to bring attractive local power to the sockets. The concept can have a big impact to boost the use of local renewable energy potentials and accelerate the energy transition bottom-up.

The project Energy Communities is one of ten tangible pilots of the EU project “Creating NEBourhoods Together. Munich-Neuperlach as test-bed for urban innovation landscapes“ coordinated by the City of Munich, aiming at making the postwar city expansion area Munich-Neuperlach “New European Bauhaus (NEB) ready”. The NEB action Energy Communities analyses opportunities and feasibilities to produce, consume and sell in particular solar energy, and to offer energy services such as charging of electrical vehicles. In a co-creation process in Neuperlach, projects and, above all, governance and business models are designed that suit the NEBourhood. Communication, collaboration, social and entrepreneurial innovation hereby are more relevant than optimum technical and economic results. As a prototype, an energy community is developed, implemented and enabled to realize a community energy pilot project as a visible flagship.

The NEBourhoods energy community will be one of the first ones in urban areas and can serve as best practice model for urban redevelopment in Munich as well as provide practical experience for a rollout in German and European cities. Thus, it contributes to a democratic, decentralized and decarbonized energy system of the future.