Define your project

Describe the goal and the benefits of your energy project. What should it offer its members, clients or society as a whole? Which services does it offer and to whom?

If you need some inspiration, have a look at examples of existing energy communities. If you already know what you want to do and are looking for detailed information have a look at our project concepts.

After the definition of the goal, you need to specify how and with which activities you can achieve this goal. These activities can include measures in the following fields: cooperation with service and equipment providers, procurement, marketing, deployment, communication, organisation, legislation and financing.

Describe the most important activities and next steps that are necessary to implement the project.

In order to successfully achieve the project’s goal, you should define what you need. This can include, for example, financial resources, expertise, land property, management capacity, or technical skills.

Name and describe the important resources or required capacities for your project. If you need help have a look at possible project concepts.

Reach out to potential members/customers to convey what the project has to offer. Check out the target group profiles/types of members to see how to engage with them. Our step-by-step guides show you how to implement communication efforts.

There can be different types of members in your energy community. Define, who could become a co-owner in this project, for example:

• Energy community members
• Private individuals
• Municipalities
• Associations and other organisations
• Certain societal or professional groups
• The project’s customers
• The project’s partners

Define if your project should be local, regional, national or international.

Depending on the project, the services provided can be also offered to consumers who are not co-owners.

Describe, which Target groups your project wants to address in addition to the co-owners.

To successfully implement the key activities of the project, external partners are often needed in addition to the co-owners, such as:

• suppliers
• experts (start-up advisors, legal advisors, technical advisors)
• network stakeholders (mayors, politicians, role models),
• financing partners (sponsors, banks)
• service partners (craftsmen, tenants)

Identify which partners are important for your project.

Financing is always an important part of each project. Define which earnings are expected and for what they will be used:

• How much should the co-owners, consumer and/or partners pay to maintain the energy projects?
• Are they willing to pay that amount for the project services/products?
• What revenue is to be generated? Do the revenues cover the costs? What pricing model do you need (fixed price or variable according to usage)?

Describe the expected costs and where the resources for covering the cost will come from.

• What are the main costs for the key activities or for the provision of key resources and capacities?
• What types of costs are incurred and in what amounts?
• What are the capital requirements?
• What personal effort is needed to develop and operate the project (e.g. volunteer time)?