Energy communities in Southern Italy: paths for sustainable socio-territorial development?

What territorial effects are the processes of building and implementing RECs having on the local communities in which they are embedded? How much and to what extent does REC as a new institutional mechanism succeed in mediating socio-territorial innovation pathways while ensuring economic development, social inclusion and environmental sustainability? To explore these research questions, the building processes of four energy communities located in marginal areas of two regions in the South of Italy and recognized in the national debate as “good practices”. The analysis showed they have encountered difficulties and delays, due to the lack of a favorable regulatory framework. However, several elements suggest that these RECs are triggering institutional learning processes in the territories.