Procurement guide

Municipalities are key actors in empowering citizens in the energy transition and the development of energy communities across Europe. Local authorities have a clear role to play in the transition to a more sustainable future, as expressed in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) published by the United Nations, as well as in the European Commission’s policy framework.

On the other hand, energy communities across Europe are already contributing to the penetration of renewables in the European system. However, today, energy communities face strong market barriers to their development at the local level. European municipalities have the challenge to support the development of community energy in their territory, through direct means like grant funding and direct investment, – and indirect means like public procurement decisions.

Public procurement has a decisive influence on the development of innovative and renewable energy services at the local level. Public procurement represents approximately 14% of the annual European GDP. This figure might not seem relevant to smaller municipalities, but it is. Public procurement procedures are a great way to durably impact the territory of the municipality, while avoiding overburdening municipal budgets.

In this short guide, we attempt to support local authorities collaborating with energy communities. Based on existing experience and research, the guide provides different options in which municipalities may be able to adapt their procurement processes to better support the participation of renewable energy communities in the procurement process.