MRP in Italy

The 1st meeting, opened by local coordinators and the mayors of Vico Equense and Piano di Sorrento, focused on the launch of the ENTRACK project, presented by AISFOR. Key methodological insights were shared by KILOWATT regarding the use of ethnography and “Climate Explorers” to align energy policies with citizens’ needs. The Campania Region, pledged support for large-scale renewable plants and the promotion of energy communities. Industrial stakeholders EAV and Italgas detailed their sustainability efforts, with EAV highlighting its role as an Energy Service Company (ESCO) through projects like railway energy efficiency and hydrogen production, and Italgas offering its expertise in biomethane and energy data. The discussion concluded by identifying sustainable transport, specifically electric mobility and charging infrastructure, and the creation of energy communities as top priorities for the territory. Additional stakeholders were suggested for the next meeting of the MRP,  such as mayors of other municipalities in the region, cooperatives, the GSE (Energy Services Manager), and public companies in the transport sector to further improve regional quality of life and reduce traffic.

The 4th meeting reviewed the outcomes of the four co-design meetings on renewable energy communities in the municipalities of Piano di Sorrento and Vico Equense. The recap detailed previous sessions focused on technical installations and economic sustainability, legal frameworks such as associations and cooperatives, financial strategies ranging from grants to private investments, and the social impact of CERs as instruments for equity. The phase will conclude with bilateral meetings to finalize the most suitable legal structure based on the specific needs of the emerging community members. Several local actors had already expressed interest in joining the future REC, including hospitality businesses, the Order of Engineers, local supermarkets, and start-ups active in the vertical farming sector. The need emerged for municipal administrations to adopt a policy resolution that would transparently define the interested parties and clarify the role of the municipality as a facilitator rather than a direct promoter of the initiative. It was agreed to issue a public call to identify technicians and professionals to handle the operational aspects of photovoltaic installation. EAV will evaluate public surfaces for potential installations. The municipality of Massa Lubrense also expressed interest in replicating the ENTRACK process to establish its own REC.

During the 2nd meeting AISFOR and KILOWATT presented the results produced within the ENTRACK project. KILOWATT illustrated the findings of the ethnographic research conducted in the municipalities of Vico Equense and Piano di Sorrento, highlighting the central role of the Climate Explorers in bridging the gap between researchers and local communities. Across the two municipalities, 181 citizens were engaged through qualitative interviews, which revealed a widespread ecological awareness and virtuous energy practices alongside difficulties related to costs, bureaucracy, and infrastructural limitations. AISFOR presented the energy policy taxonomy, focusing on the Italian map. It emerged that Italy has the highest number of policies in the environment and climate change category among the pilot countries, yet none of these fall within the socio-energy category. A notable absence of a national plan to tackle energy poverty was also identified. The Campania Regional ERDF Programme 2021-2027 and the Regional Environmental Energy Plan (PEAR) 2019 of the Campania Region were also presented. In the afternoon, a self-assessment activity was carried out with municipal technical staff. The discussion highlighted difficulties in communicating local initiatives to citizens and a lack of specific incentives to promote clean energy practices. 

The 5th meeting focused on One Stop Shops (OSS) for energy. The European regulatory framework and possible organisational models were presented, drawing on concrete examples such as OpenGela and the RENOSS project. Particular attention was given to the experience of the Parma OSS, presented as a model for a fully online service, with advantages in terms of accessibility, reduced management costs, and structured monitoring of requests. The discussion brought to light the challenges associated with the economic sustainability of physical service desks, with the integration of an online desk into the municipalities’ institutional portals proposed as a more viable alternative. The session closed with a reflection on the need to identify and train dedicated staff to handle citizen enquiries, in order to ensure an effective and continuous service beyond the project’s funding period.

The 3rd meeting presented an overview of the co-design process for a Renewable and Solidarity Energy Community (CERS) to be developed by the municipalities of Vico Equense and Piano di Sorrento. and reviewed recent self-assessment results. RETE ASSIST highlighted a strong alignment between citizens and municipal staff regarding barriers like excessive bureaucracy, high costs, and a lack of local incentives, while also identifying internal challenges such as departmental silos and communication gaps. To address these issues, the meeting outlined a roadmap for 2025 consisting of four specialized workshops in May and June covering technical, legal, financial, and social aspects, culminating in a Feasibility Plan by year-end, supported by a tailored ENTRACK online training course to bridge knowledge gaps in energy legislation and technology. While the Campania Region confirmed upcoming funding for such initiatives, participants emphasized the importance of navigating local landscape protection constraints and the need for better implementation guidelines from GSE, with additional stakeholders requesting active involvement in the upcoming planning phases.