Course: DISCOVER the PILOTS - Stakeholder workshops in Italy with AGENA

Our Values

Hello AGENA! You have designed the new/advanced service and now it is time to discuss it with Italian stakeholders. Briefly tell us how your Stakeholder Workshop went.

Between March and June 2025, we organized a series of stakeholder workshops across Marche and Abruzzo regions, aimed at fostering the creation of Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) under the DISCOVER project. Each meeting was tailored to the specific type of stakeholders—municipalities (Castelli, Tortoreto and Valle Castellana), diocesan institutions (Diocese of Ascoli Piceno), ESCos (Plan Green srl and Engreen), scientific organizations (Collurania Astronomical Observatory), —and focused on presenting DISCOVER’s free technical and strategic services, aligning actions with the NRRP timelines, and exploring local potential implementation.

What was the main objective you set for the workshops? Do you feel it was achieved?

Our objective was to educate and engage diverse stakeholders on RECs and the associated funding and policy frameworks and kick-start concrete implementation processes, customized to each context. And we succeded! As a matter of fact, in every meeting, stakeholders actively contributed ideas and expressed a clear willingness to move forward. Many are now initiating internal assessments or administrative procedures to launch RECs. The workshops helped also unlock new synergies between municipalities and ESCos.

The co-design process

Was there a particular moment that stood out during the workshops?

Yes, several meaningful moments emerged in the different workshops. In Ascoli Piceno, the diocesan bursar cited the CEI’s national guidelines on RECs and stressed the value of RECs in supporting indirectly vulnerable households—highlighting a socially driven energy vision. Meanwhile, n Castelli, the mayor’s strong commitment despite initial setbacks showed resilience and adaptability in local governance. At the Collurania Observatory, discussions around funding compatibility and technical constraints led to creative problem-solving on PV sizing to preserve eligibility for the incentive tariff according to existing funding. In the meeting with Plan Green Srl, a key insight was that a minimum PV capacity is needed to justify private investment—raising practical considerations around land and rooftop availability. During the session with Engreen, it was encouraging to see that small-scale investment is possible and already in practice, as shown by Engreen’s example in the municipality of Antrodoco. The discussion helped municipalities like Tortoreto and Valle Castellana realize that even modest projects can catalyze community involvement.

How did the stakeholders respond to the DISCOVER project activities you presented?

Stakeholders appreciative of DISCOVER’s free services and practical approach. The Diocese of Ascoli Piceno saw in DISCOVER a path to fulfill both environmental and social missions. The Municipalities of Castelli, Tortoreto, and Valle Castellana appreciated the technical and administrative tools that simplify REC implementation—from legal templates to technical and economic PV simulations. The Collurania Observatory welcomed the project as an opportunity to integrate renewable energy into their operations, pending internal budget alignment and strategy. Plan Green Srl and Engreen, two private energy players, recognized DISCOVER as a neutral actor that can facilitate cooperation with public stakeholders.

What ideas, suggestions, or new insights emerged from the discussions?

The workshops generated several cross-cutting insights:

Thresholds matter: From the ESCo Plan Green's input, we learned that the viability of private investment often depends on reaching a critical PV capacity—pushing municipalities to map and secure suitable installation areas early.
Even small RECs are impactful: Engreen’s experience showed that RECs under 100 kW can still stimulate the community to invest in private PV and generate significant behavioural and social benefits.
Institutional leadership is key: Whether it's a municipality or a diocese, having a central, credible promoter is essential to build trust and coordinate actions.
Inter-municipal RECs: where the potential of installable capacity is low, the idea of forming RECs across multiple municipalities under the same primary substation emerged as a smart solution to scale up impact.
Financial alignment: In the case of Collurania Observatory, matching internal funds with external incentives required strategic balancing.

Future steps

What are your next steps after the workshop? Are you planning further engagement activities in your area?

Yes, we are moving forward on multiple tracks. After the workshops, AGENA offered practical tools such as administrative templates, technical pre-feasibility insights and citizen engagement materials.

In particular, AGENA is helping municipalities to personalize the administrative templates, such as resolution of intent for the Creation of Renewable Energy Communities.

Valle Castellana is preparing a site visit and engaging with technology providers to finalize the hybrid PV-biomass layout. At the Collurania Observatory, we are submitting a technical memo on funding compatibility to help structure their investment mix. We plan to attend Engreen’s event in mid-July in Pineto, which will allow stakeholders to learn from a real-world REC case and ask direct questions to those who implemented it.