The first part of the workshop focused on experiences and best practices in the deployment of Energy Communities by Public Administrations. After an initial presentation about the ongoing actions on the Zorrotzaurre island within the ATELIER project by the Bilbao City Council, EVE presented the Ekiola initiative, aimed at fostering the creation of cooperative energy communities. The Provincial Council of Araba shared their recent experience in launching these Ekiola cooperatives. Next, i-DE presented the perspective of the electrical distribution operator and described the situation and challenges of the Euskadi distribution grid to accommodate new self-consumption facilities.

The second part, with a more dynamic format, centered on the development of technologies that support the implementation, operation, and management of Energy Communities. A panel consisting of Edinor, Giroa-Veolia, and R2M companies successively presented their R&D projects in collaboration, namely ENEBRAIN - Energy management solution for commercial and industrial energy communities and prosumers, ELKARTEN - Development of technologies for optimizing energy management in Energy Communities, and CEUIS 2.0 - Methodology for the implementation and digitalization of urban-industrial Energy Communities. In an open discussion moderated by the Energy Cluster, the panelists shared lessons learned, identified the main challenges yet to be addressed, and proposed recommendations for the deployment of Energy Communities, particularly as an instrument for Bilbao's energy transition.

In conclusion, the workshop provided an opportunity to reflect on the current regulatory context, share experiences and best practices, and explore alternative approaches to Energy Communities.

About the ATELIER project:

The H2020 ATELIER project, co-led by the Bilbao City Council and the city of Amsterdam, aims to develop and validate various technologies and management models that promote Bilbao's energy transition. Within this framework, the Energy Cluster drives - in collaboration with other project partners - the Bilbao Innovation Atelier, an open forum for other stakeholders. Its purpose is to involve relevant agents in adapting these innovations to the context of Bilbao, disseminate project progress, and contribute knowledge and best practices to scale the results to other cities.