Transforming Social Housing Neighbourhoods into Energy Communities: Challenges and Opportunities

This paper aims to highlight the potential application of Renewable Energy Community (REC) concept in large Affordable and Public Housing neighbourhoods, particularly those in the European cities’ suburbs developed between the 1970s and the 1990s, in order to achieve carbon neutrality and mitigate barriers to energy provision for low-income groups. The research aims to provide a qualitative overview of energy community policies and initiatives at the European level. By identifying common approaches and strategies that are framing the development of best practices in the European and Italian contexts, it explores the characteristics that enable an Energy Community to act as a driver of local sustainable transformation and social cohesion.