Social economy actors, such as social enterprises, cooperatives, associations, foundations, and community-based organisations, play a central role in delivering a fair and inclusive energy transition. They are often rooted in local communities and prioritise social value, democratic governance, and local ownership over profit maximisation. In the context of citizen energy, social economy actors frequently initiate, host, or support projects by mobilising citizens, aggregating small-scale investment, and co-designing services that respond to local needs. Many operate on a cost-recovery or limited-profit basis, ensuring that benefits such as dividends, lower energy bills, or reinvestment are returned to the community.
EU energy and social economy policy frameworks recognise the contribution of social economy actors to citizen-led initiatives, energy communities, and local development. These organisations often act as bridges between citizens, municipalities, and market actors, helping translate policy objectives into locally relevant solutions. Their trusted position makes them well placed to reach vulnerable groups, build acceptance, and ensure long-term social impact.
Social economy actors typically engage in citizen energy through:
- Initiation and coordination: Setting up energy communities, cooperative structures, or citizen-led projects and managing day-to-day operations
- Social delivery roles: Ensuring inclusiveness, affordability, and community benefit, particularly for vulnerable households
- Partnership roles: Working alongside municipalities, SMEs, and technical partners to deliver projects while safeguarding social objectives
- Engage with cooperative and social economy networks such as REScoop.eu, which offer resources on governance, financing models, community engagement, and peer learning. Here you can also find a wider network of energy communities and key actors, where you can learn from shared experiences.
- Connect with regional support via the Social Economy Gateway, where you can find national social economy platforms, cooperative federations, and development organisations that provide training, legal guidance, and funding advice. Find the work of your fellow social economy stakeholders in 'On the Ground’, a dedicated space for the sharing of perspectives, showcasing work, and telling stories.
Meet Clara: A housing cooperative manager exploring community energy solutions
- Who Clara is: Manager of a non-profit housing cooperative providing affordable homes
- Her situation: Responsible for ageing buildings with high energy needs and residents affected by rising energy costs
- What she’s trying to figure out: How to combine community energy and citizen-led renovation to reduce bills while protecting residents
- What makes it difficult: Limited financial margins, complex rules, and the need to protect vulnerable residents
- In her words: “We want to lower energy costs for residents, but we need solutions that are fair, reliable, and realistic.”
Clara asks:
- Many citizen energy cooperatives are increasingly involved in citizen-led renovation, connecting energy efficiency improvements with renewable energy generation to reduce energy demand and costs for enrolled households and community members.
- Social economy organisations can use the Support Service for Citizen-Led Renovation, a European Commission initiative offering tailored guidance, technical assistance, and capacity building to help communities and organisations initiate and scale renovation projects with citizen ownership and local involvement.
- Social economy actors often embed democratic governance and social aims into project design, using transparent decision-making and benefit-sharing models that prioritise reinvestment into community outcomes rather than profit.
- Their trusted community role allows organisations to proactively engage and support vulnerable populations, lowering barriers to participation and reinforcing affordability through tailored outreach and support mechanisms.
- Social economy actors can apply for CEAH Technical Assistance, which offers hands-on expert support to help structure and implement community-led energy and renovation projects with strong social impact.
- Broader EU funding instruments like LIFE Clean Energy Transition or Horizon Europe calls can offer further opportunities for funding.
- Clara can read more about support options and decide which journey best fits her situation by reading CEAH Guidance Documents: ‘A citizen’s guide to energy citizenship’ and ‘Navigating EU support for your citizen energy project'.