Recent research on sustainable energy and development plans, indicate that a turn to renewable energy resources and adoption of energy conservation techniques are required, so that energy poverty is tackled and large-scale energy efficiency (EE) is achieved.

A very important part of the current energy actors are European renewable energy sources cooperatives (REScoops). REScoops have begun to form in the European Union and provide their members the opportunity to buy renewably generated electricity at fair prices, to democratically react with other members and decide the cooperative’s future, and to be autonomous and independent with respect to energy.