Pathway to more active participation of end-users (households, businesses, OTAs, etc.) across the entire spectrum of the market electricityfrom production for own consumption and sale renewable energy, cumulative representation and balancing flexibility up to grid management and the provision of energy efficiency services, electric vehicle charging and other services, opens the bill that was submitted for public comment yesterday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and which is fully integrated, and with a long delay, the European Directive (2018 /2001) to promote the use of energy from renewable sources. These prospects, however, will largely be determined by the longevity of the network, and this issue pervades the bill. It provides for a maximum limit for operators to issue final connection offers for the application of virtual and energy compensation of 2 gigawatts and specific upper limits, which are subject to change by decision of the Minister of Environment and Energy, depending on network capacity.

All restrictions on the access of end consumers to their own consumption are removed, which for the first time gives the right to tenants.

New opportunities for consumers and businesses are being provided through two new instruments it is introducing, namely the Community of Citizens and the Community of Renewable Sources, which are being created to replace the existing Energy Communities, which are subject to a suspension of creation from April 1 and the right to move into new communities for those who will choose it. For the first time, small and medium-sized enterprises are eligible to participate in a favorable energy community structure, which can create renewable energy communities (RECs) subject to a minimum of 15 members. Through OEMs, they can produce the energy they consume using a virtual energy grid (then (there may be production facilities located outside the consumption facilities), and they can also be connected to the high voltage network so that they do not “stumble” on the bandwidth limitations of the medium and low voltage networks. The bill removes all restrictions on the access of end consumers to their own consumption, for the first time granting the right to tenants and even encouraging landlords to facilitate them. In addition, thanks to the institution of collective self-consumption, for the first time, it is possible to use compensation and the energy consumption of ordinary users in buildings. Participants in this process appoint a representative in relation to third parties and regulate their relations by contract. Collective self-consumption settings can be used by at least two independent consumers in the same building, who can regulate the distribution of energy from their installed renewable energy generation stations among themselves.

Through the new energy communities, consumers, enterprises, TSOs of the first and second degree and 100% subsidiaries of TSOs of the first and second degree, as well as agricultural cooperatives can carry out activities for the production, own consumption or sale of electricity from RES, in the storage, distribution and supply of electricity, in cumulative terms, in balancing flexibility, and in providing electric vehicle charging services to members of the community. They may also manage or participate in programs financed from national or EU resources. about advancing its purpose, providing advice and managing or participating in programs and actions in the field of information and energy sustainability to support vulnerable consumers. The bill also gives citizens’ energy communities the right to own, build, buy or lease distribution networks and operate them autonomously in the area in which they operate.