Business participation is important
Limassol Municipality has taken the initiative to explore and support the creation of an Energy Community for the city. This initiative forms part of Limassol's broader effort to achieve climate neutrality by 2030. The Cyprus Institute is also involved in the process, providing scientific and technical support to the Municipality.
When we talk about the energy transition, the discussion often focuses on installing more photovoltaic or energy storage systems. Technology, however, is only one part of the solution. The key question is how citizens, businesses, organisations and public bodies can work together to develop energy projects that respond to the city's real needs.
An Energy Community, however, is not a project that the Municipality can create and operate on its own. Its development depends on the participation and cooperation of citizens, businesses, organisations and other local stakeholders. Through this cooperation, shared energy projects can be designed to meet participants' needs and create economic, environmental and social benefits for both the members and the city.
What is an Energy Community?
Put simply, an Energy Community is an organised way for citizens, businesses, organisations and public bodies to work together to develop and make use of shared energy projects.
Instead of each business or organisation acting entirely on its own, members can jointly consider projects such as:
• larger-scale photovoltaic systems,
• energy storage systems,
• energy efficiency projects,
• electric vehicle charging infrastructure,
• other services and initiatives related to clean energy.
Through an Energy Community, collective energy generation and storage projects can be explored and tailored to the participants' overall needs. The way in which the energy produced will be allocated and used will be determined through the technical and economic planning process, in accordance with the applicable regulatory framework and electricity grid procedures.
What can it offer businesses?
Participating in an Energy Community can create opportunities for:
• lower investment and operating costs through economies of scale,
• shared technical, administrative and organisational support,
• access to larger renewable energy projects,
• better use of energy production through complementary consumption profiles,
• the exploration of shared energy storage solutions,
• participation by businesses without a suitable or sufficiently large roof, and
• a stronger environmental and social contribution.
At the same time, an Energy Community can develop initiatives with wider social benefits, such as supporting vulnerable households, tackling energy poverty and reinvesting part of the available resources in new local energy projects.
Express your interest
Businesses, organisations and professional bodies in Limassol are invited to take part in the planning process by completing Limassol Municipality's questionnaire: Energy Community
Questionnaire
Through the questionnaire, Limassol Municipality aims to record the initial interest of businesses and organisations in the Energy Community currently being developed. The responses will help identify organisations that wish to remain informed, take part in the discussion and consider becoming involved in the next stages of the initiative. Limassol's Energy Community cannot be created by a single organisation. It can only be built through cooperation among those who want to participate and help shape the city's energy future.
Giorgos Elpidoforou
Climate Change Engineer, Energy Division, EEWRC
The Cyprus Institute
