Le Comunità energetiche cooperative sono un'opportunità? Emiliano Galanti a Fatti e Opinioni

Renewable Energy Communities (CERs) are growing in Emilia-Romagna: there are 104 (ART-ER data as of December 31, 2025), up 73% in one year. However, less than a third have reached full operation; the rest are at a standstill, awaiting systems, expertise, and management support. The transition from incorporation to activation remains the sector's bottleneck. What are the reasons? What are the possible solutions? Across Emilia-Romagna, there are 44 operational CER configurations recognized by the GSE, for a total of 6.7 MW. Of these, more than a third are managed by the cooperative network created by Legacoop Romagna. Energia Romagna, as it is called, oversees 15 of them, with 4 MW already connected, 15 primary substation configurations active or in the process of being activated, over 140 members including cooperatives, businesses, and citizens, and 4 megawatts of connected photovoltaic systems. According to Legacoop Romagna, the cooperative model has performed better for four reasons: the presence of an integrated supply chain based on the Coop Sole consortium, a concrete benefit in terms of income for members, a project rooted in the local area, and the complete digitalization of the membership process on the website www.energiaromagna.it. "63% of cooperative CERs are already operational, compared to 50% of associations," explains Emiliano Galanti, head of the sector. "This is no coincidence; it is the result of a model that works. The problem of idle CERs, without facilities and without support, is the real crux of the sector. We have addressed it by building an integrated supply chain: when a new configuration enters the network, it connects to already established processes and proven partners." "What we have built in Romagna is an ecosystem, not a project," emphasizes Paolo Lucchi, president of Legacoop Romagna. "Five entities, complementary skills, a common goal: to make renewable energy accessible and accessible to businesses and citizens in our region. This is how cooperatives respond to major challenges: not with isolated initiatives, but with systems that last over time and grow with the community. The goal of 44 primary substations by 2027 isn't just a slogan: it's a commitment we're honoring, including by continuing to invest in this project, which combines benefits for businesses, citizens, the environment, and the Romagna community as a whole.