Paper short abstract:

The contribution focuses on the analysis of three Italian case studies: two types of energy communities and a photovoltaic panels purchasing group. We will describe how different the sharing or transmission of technical knowledge is in the strategies put in place for developing each initiative.

Paper long abstract:

The production and reproduction of knowledge relating to climate change are also developed within community-based and grassroots initiatives, that aim at sharing practices and energy consumption, developing forms of changing daily behaviours starting from practice (learning by doing).

Our contribution focuses on the analysis of three Italian case studies: two types of energy communities and a photovoltaic panels purchasing group.

With regard to the selected energy communities, we will describe how different the sharing or transmission of technical knowledge is in the strategies put in place for the creation of each initiative. The first case is a cohousing set up by a group of equal promoters, within which there are also technical skills in the renewable energy sector. In the second case, an NGO develops and implements an experimental model of an energy community that involved disadvantaged people. Around this energy community, people with various skills are provided by the NGO to support the members. In both cases, the goal is increasing awareness about the environmental impact of behaviour and energy consumption through the growth of a shared knowledge.

The third case study is a PV purchasing group strongly focused on building a communication strategy so that knowledge about renewable technologies and their environmental impact is also accessible to a non-technical audience. This allows, in this way, a wider participation in energy issues that are seen by citizens/consumers as a prerogative of experts in the field.