Crucial for funding, managing resources, and ensuring the financial sustainability of ECs. This includes understanding the various European grants available, novel incentive schemes, and financing opportunities that can support the development of ECs.
Grants and subsidies are forms of financial aid that are given to individuals, businesses, or institutions, with the aim of promoting certain activities or initiatives. They are often used to stimulate economic growth, support R&D, encourage investment in certain sectors, or assist individuals and organizations in need.
Equity finance is the process of raising capital through the sale of shares in a company. In this form of financing, companies sell a portion of their ownership, or equity, in exchange for cash. The investors who purchase these shares become shareholders in the company and can claim part of the company's assets and profits.
Debt finance is the method of raising capital by borrowing money that is to be repaid at a future date, usually with interest. The entities that provide the funds are known as lenders, and they can be banks, credit institutions, or investors through the bond market.
Ownership models refer to the structures that define the legal and financial ownership of a business or an asset. These models determine who has the right to make decisions, who benefits from the profits, and who bears the risks. Some common types of ownership models are Partnership, Cooperative, Non-Profit.
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Summary: <p>Energy communities behind the meter were the first form of energy communities to be established. They continue to have an economic advantage, as the community does not pay grid tariffs or VAT on the solar electricity it produces and uses itself, and they are therefore still being established. It is now also legally possible to establish either a renewable energy community or a citizen energy community; however, these forms only became possible with the implementation of the Renewable Energy Support Act in 2021.</p>
Type of funding: It is only possible to establish an energy community behind the meter by deregistering all main meters for the individual units in the building and instead installing sub-meters that are owned by the energy community and located behind the main electricity meter. The number of main meters in the building depends on the existing building infrastructure, but typically ranges from 1 to 6.
Requirements: <p>The generated solar electricity must be consumed within the building where it is produced in order to avoid paying grid tariffs to the TSO and DSO, as well as VAT to the state.</p>
How to apply: <p>The individual main electricity meters are deregistered, and an agreement is made to establish new main meters at the connection point (e.g. the service cabinet) or as close to the building’s exit as possible.</p>
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Energy communities
Date: 24/02/2026
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