Renewable Energy Communities: What Transformative Potential for Local Areas?

The chapter examines two case studies o f renewable energy communities (RECs) carried out in two different territorial and socio-economic contexts: (i) M E S Rec (Sicily, Southern Italy); (ii) R IC Rec, in the province o f Trento (Northern Italy), fostered by the historical energy cooperative 'RIC Rec Co-Op.’ Using Ostrom’s concept o f polycentric governance and a comparative analysis, the authors highlight the historical and social conditions that have affected the two REC organisational practices, as well as the transformative effects on the urban and spatial level that RECs are producing. The different legal forms o f the promoters o f the energy communities (cooperative fo r RIC REC CO-OP and philanthropic body for the M E S Rec Foundation, with which a social ESCo is associated) imply a diverse organisational practice both in the management o f the REC and its services and in the participatory mechanisms o f the citizenslusers. Despite these differences, both RECs are based on the idea o f energy as a common good and on a community logic that makes REC a model o f socio-technical innovation to strengthen community and local welfare and generate positive externalities.