At this year’s EU Sustainable Energy Week – the EU’s flagship event for energy policy – the LIFE TANDEMS project took center stage in a dynamic policy session that explored a critical question: “Energy Sharing: Mission Impossible?”
Alongside our LIFE Sister Projects – BECKON, COMANAGE, ConnectHeat, and LifeLOOP – TANDEMS convened an inspiring panel to tackle the regulatory, social, and political realities facing Europe’s energy communities. The answer that emerged was clear: not only is energy sharing possible, it’s already happening. However, its success hinges on political will, regulatory clarity and inclusive community engagement.
Key Takeaways from the Session
1. Energy Sharing Works – Even Without a Perfect Framework
From Gabrovo in Bulgaria to Copenhagen and Barcelona, local pioneers are building energy communities and implementing energy sharing, even in countries where the regulatory environment is less than ideal. Tanya Hristova, the mayor of Gabrovo, emphasised the importance of trust and political leadership. “People told us this wasn’t possible in Bulgaria – we proved them wrong,” she said. Gabrovo launched its first energy community within two months, with a second following quickly behind.
2. Regulation Must Empower, Not Obstruct
The current policy landscape often hinders more than it helps. Josh Roberts of REScoop.eu observed that many communities thrive despite regulation, rather than because of it. Participants called for streamlined permitting processes, financial guarantees and fairer grid access rules, particularly in cities where, as Erik Hagelskjær from Copenhagen noted, shared electricity between buildings is heavily taxed.
The EU’s new framework for energy sharing is a step in the right direction. According to Achille Hannoset from DG ENER, the upcoming Citizens Energy Package, along with guidance on network tariffs and grid integration, will help to standardise energy sharing across Member States, including for vulnerable households.
3. Community First, Energy Second
“Before you can build an energy community, you need to build a community,” said multiple speakers. This principle was embodied by Marcel Camps Inglés, the Area Metropolitana de Barcelona representative who engaged with citizens at local markets through La Teulada, a one-stop shop in Catalan meaning ‘the rooftop’, and raised awareness of energy sharing.
Similarly, Claudia Carani from AESS presented a compelling example from San Giuseppe Vesuviano. Building trust within a vulnerable community affected by poverty and organised crime required collaboration with existing social organisations and the provision of practical services, ranging from assistance with energy bills to technical advice. They concluded that engagement must be long-term, hyper-local and grounded in people’s real needs.
4. Inclusion Is a Necessity – Not a Bonus
True transformation must prioritise social justice. The most vulnerable citizens, including single mothers and renters, are often excluded from the benefits of energy communities. Participants strongly called for more targeted financing, public investment in the start-up phase and social conditions for support schemes. Practical solutions are however emerging: Achille Hannoset confirmed that Italy is piloting grant systems that reward energy communities serving vulnerable households. Meanwhile, Lithuania is offering 50% investment subsidies for the first time to projects with strong social criteria.
From Mission Impossible to Mission Inevitable
While the title of our session may have been provocative, it sparked the kind of ambitious yet grounded and inclusive conversation that Europe urgently needs. As TANDEMS and its partners made clear, energy sharing is a social and technical innovation. It can bridge rural and urban energy gaps, stimulate local investment and put people at the heart of the transition.
To achieve this, we need more than just good ideas. We need action at every level — local, national and European — to dismantle regulatory obstacles, expand citizen access and shift from tokenistic inclusion to shared leadership. Together, we’re proving that community-led energy is not just a vision for the future. It’s already underway – and it’s unstoppable.
