Technical Assessment of Energy Allocation Procedures in Renewable Energy Communities

Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) have significant potential for the energy transition. Since RECs rely on citizen participation, their success heavily depends on the level of engagement among citizens. However, if users are not provided with transparent and accurate information, they may abandon the project when outcomes fail to align with unrealistic expectations. To address this challenge, this paper presents a thorough comparative study which identifies recommendations and actionable guidance, providing crucial information to prevent failures. We compared scenarios defined by fixed energy allocation parameters, based on installation costs and number of participants, and variable ones which consider user patterns, economic agreements, and allocation criteria. This approach enabled a comprehensive analysis of how different characteristics affect key outcomes, such as payback difference and surplus. To ensure the scenarios were realistic, the building blocks were obtained using clustering techniques on a real dataset of residential users. This allowed us to simulate 240 scenarios of different REC configurations. The methodology is designed for applicability in countries where RECs are governed by energy allocation coefficients, such as Spain and France. This paper aims to highlight both the limitations and the best possible outcomes, setting clear expectations and helping to curb the spread of disinformation, thereby facilitating RECs’ decision-making.