With its recent proposed revisions to the Renewable Energy Directive (RED II), the European Commission (Commission) has recognized the need to increase ambition on renewable energy production in order to meet 2030 and 2050 climate objectives. To meet these objectives, more action is required in all segments of society. Citizens, for their part, are increasingly mobilizing through their own community, developing initiatives around the uptake of renewable energy and the adoption of energy savings measures.

Such initiatives were recently acknowledged in the Clean Energy for All Europeans legislative Package (CEP), which defined and established supportive provisions for Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) and Citizen Energy Communities (CECs). With its recent proposal for RED II, the Commission did not reopen the provisions on RECs, as it recognised the need to focus on the transposition at the national level and for enabling frameworks to be created in all Member States that will support the development of energy communities. Nevertheless, there is an opportunity to strengthen the RED II to increase ambition on renewable energy, and to enhance policy support for RECs so that they can help contribute to the achievement of such ambition.

In this position paper, REScoop.eu presents recommendations to maximise the potential for citizens and their communities to contribute towards the achievement of more ambitious renewable energy targets set at the EU level.