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Renewable Energy Community: what it is and how to join?

How a CER works, who can join and what economic and environmental benefits it brings for families and businesses.

In simple terms, a Renewable Energy Community is a group of people, businesses and local entities that share the Energy produced from nearby Renewable sources, such as Photovoltaic.

You do not need to have panels on your roof, you do not have to change supplier and you do not need to change your habits: you only need to have a Power utility within the community’s territory and consume, where possible, during the hours when the Energy is produced.

What is a Renewable Energy Community?

A Renewable Energy Community (CER) is therefore an association made up of individuals, small and medium-sized enterprises, public bodies and third sector organizations that choose to produce and share Energy from Renewable sources within a common territory. The objective is not profit, but the sharing of benefits: environmental, economic and social.

Unlike what one might think, those who join a CER do not necessarily have to own a Photovoltaic system: it is sufficient to be consumers connected to the Power grid in the territory served by the community. The Energy produced by the CER’s systems is virtually shared among all members, and those who consume during the hours when the system produces accrue an economic incentive.

How a CER works: the shared Energy mechanism

The heart of a CER is the concept of shared Energy: the amount of electricity that, in a specific time slot, has both been fed into the grid by the community’s systems and consumed by its members. Only this share generates the right to the state incentive paid by the GSE (Energy Services Operator).

In practical terms: if during sunny hours a CER member consumes Energy while the Photovoltaic system is producing, that amount is considered virtually exchanged and generates an economic benefit. The more consumption is concentrated during production hours, the greater the overall advantage. The Energy produced in excess of instantaneous consumption can be fed into the grid or stored in storage systems, such as lithium-ion batteries.

The CER is configured as an autonomous legal entity, typically in the form of a non-profit association or cooperative. Its members maintain their own contract with the Energy supplier and periodically receive their share of the benefit from the CER.

Who can join an Energy community?

The regulations provide for a plurality of eligible entities. The following can participate in a CER:

individuals, for example residents of the same neighbourhood or municipality;

small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), provided that participation in the CER does not constitute their main activity;

public bodies, municipal administrations, schools, libraries and local institutions;

religious, third sector and environmental protection bodies.

The only fundamental requirement for the individual member is to have an active Power utility (POD) in the territory served by the CER. It is not necessary to own the production system, nor to modify your Energy contract.

Participation is voluntary and withdrawal is possible according to what is provided for in the community’s statute. In the event of relocation or change of supply, the member is removed from the configuration and ceases to accrue the incentive.

The advantages of joining: economic, environmental and social

Joining an Energy community brings benefits on several levels.

Economic advantages

Environmental advantages

Social advantages for Municipalities

Each member periodically receives a share of the state incentive generated by the sharing of Energy. The economic benefit is not fixed, but is proportional to the amount of Energy that can be consumed during the hours of maximum system production.

CERs contribute to the reduction of CO₂ emissions, promoting the use of locally produced Renewable Energy. This is a low-impact consumption model, consistent with the objectives of the European Energy transition.

Energy communities create cohesion among citizens, businesses and local institutions. In many cases, communities with systems of around 1 MWp generate a significant collective impact. Part of the overall economic benefits, an estimated share between €10,000 and €20,000 per year, can be allocated to the Municipality for social purposes and public utility projects.

These include:

redevelopment of public spaces and urban green areas;

creation of inclusive and accessible playgrounds for children with disabilities;

support for local festivals, fairs and events of the local tradition;

installation of Energy-saving LED lighting systems ;

free Wi-Fi coverage in the historic centre or in key areas of the town.

The state incentive: how much is it worth and how is it paid?

The incentive for shared Energy is recognized by the GSE and is valid for twenty years from the commissioning of the system. Its amount depends on the geographical area of the system and on the tariffs defined by the MaSE Ministerial Decree of December 7, 2023, to which a variable component linked to the price of Energy on the market is added.

For a 1 MWp system, a well-structured CER can generate over 100,000 euros per year in incentives to be distributed among members. For the individual domestic consumer, the estimated benefit is around 80 euros per year, but it can vary significantly based on the amount of Energy consumed during solar production hours.

The incentive is paid by the CER to its members periodically:

on the bill, for those who are already customers of the Power supplier that manages or owns the CER, subject to explicit request;
by bank transfer, for those who have a different supplier.

Receiving the incentive does not modify the Power supply contract nor does it affect the calculation of ordinary bills.

How to join a CER with Enel?

Since 2024, Enel has positioned itself as a market leader for managed capacity in the CER area, with around 29 MW total managed through active population campaigns throughout the national territory. Our offer stands out for the specialized management of configurations with medium-sized systems of around 800 kW, guaranteeing high economic sustainability for participants.

In the role of technology partner, Enel supports the community in all its management phases:

the search for and joining of members through both physical channels, Spazi Enel and Spazi Enel Partner, and digital channels;

the provision of an IT portal for simple member registration and a convenient dashboard to monitor Energy and savings;

the integrated management of the current account held in the name of the CER with payment mandate and automatic redistribution of the benefit to registered members.

The joining process is simple and consists of three steps:

POD verification: it is necessary to check whether your Power utility falls within the territory served by an active CER;

completion of the joining form: available online, it allows you to express your interest and start the registration procedure;

activation: if the POD is compatible, registration is completed.

Join the nearest Energy Community!

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Domande frequenti

No. The incentive is calculated on the basis of the Energy shared in each time slot and distributed by the CER to its members periodically, typically annually. It is not a credit that can be accumulated at will: it is paid according to the rules established by the community’s statute and the GSE provisions.

Yes. It is not necessary to own a production system to be part of a CER. It is sufficient to have an active Power utility in the territory served by the community. Photovoltaic panels belong to the CER as a legal entity, not to the individual members.

No. Joining an Energy community is independent of the Power supply contract. You continue to pay the bill to your supplier as before: the CER separately pays the member’s share of the incentive.

In the event of relocation or variation of the withdrawal point (POD), the member is removed from the CER configuration and ceases to accrue the incentive. The withdrawal methods are governed by the Energy community’s statute.

Yes. The regulations allow a mixed composition. Individuals, SMEs, public bodies and third sector organizations can participate in the same CER, provided that they are connected to the Power grid in the reference territory. The only limitation concerns private companies, for which participation in the CER must not constitute their main commercial activity.

The regulations do not set a maximum number of members. The operational limit is linked to the system capacity, maximum 1 MWp per single system, and to the need to guarantee an adequate share of shared Energy for each participant. CERs that are too crowded in relation to the production available would reduce the individual benefit.