by Maximiliano Crocamo
Interviews: Matteo Caldera, National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development (ENEA); Massimo Canali, Director for Regione FVG Environmental Protection, Energy and Sustainable Development
Friuli Venezia Giulia is moving closer to establishing one of Italy’s largest regional renewable energy communities, with officials and energy experts outlining the project’s next steps during a presentation in Trieste on July 8, 2026.
The initiative, known as the Comunità Energetica Rinnovabile (CER) Friuli Venezia Giulia, aims to enable municipalities, public institutions, businesses and other organizations to produce, share and consume renewable energy collectively, while generating economic, environmental and social benefits across the region.
Although Regional Councilor for Environmental Protection, Energy and Sustainable Development Fabio Scoccimarrowas unable to attend in person, he opened the event with a recorded video message emphasizing the collaborative origins of the project.
“This project was born from listening to local communities,” Scoccimarro said. “Renewable energy communities are not only a way to produce and share clean energy, but also to create social, economic and environmental value for the benefit of our territories.”
The project has progressed through an extensive co-design process carried out between October 2025 and April 2026, bringing together 25 public and private organizations. Participants agreed to establish the CER as a participatory foundation, with its formal creation expected between September and November this year.
The regional network will initially consist of six energy-sharing configurations linked to primary electricity substations. These include sites in Udine, Trieste, Gorizia, Staranzano and San Giorgio di Nogaro, as well as three locations in the Pordenone area.
The first operational community will be based around the Udine substation, selected because it brings together the highest concentration of participating organizations and offers significant space for new photovoltaic installations.
During the presentation, Matteo Caldera, a researcher at ENEA, Italy’s National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development, outlined the results of the project’s feasibility study. The analysis, developed using actual energy consumption data and ENEA’s RECON simulation platform, suggests the initiative could achieve strong levels of shared renewable energy production.
Under a scenario that includes an additional 3 megawatts of installed photovoltaic capacity, the community’s self-consumption rate is projected to remain above 50 percent through 2029. At the same time, annual carbon dioxide emissions avoided are expected to exceed 1,000 tons after 2026.
The financial model foresees initial operating costs being covered through a management fund established by the founding members. Over time, revenues generated through national incentive schemes and other services are expected to make the community financially self-sustaining.
“The incentives are available for twenty years for the eligible renewable energy systems,” Caldera said. “But we cannot build a Renewable Energy Community that depends solely on public incentives. It must also generate its own revenues through the services it provides, allowing it to sustain itself and continue growing over the long term.”
Regional officials described the CER as a strategic investment in Friuli Venezia Giulia’s energy transition, designed not only to expand renewable energy production but also to strengthen local cooperation, reduce emissions and create lasting value for communities throughout the region.
