In less than three weeks, the 4th International Community Wind Symposium and Community Power Forum 2019 will take place, this year under the theme “Shaping the Energy Transition – Strength through Alliances”.

The symposium is being organised by WWEA and LEE NRW, in cooperation with Bündnis Bürgerenergie, EnergieAgentur.NRW and Genossenschaftsverband and supported by the African Platform for Community Power and Rural Electrification, the IRENA Coalition for Action, the Institute for Sustainable Energy Policies ISEP Japan as well as the Global100RE platform.

40 national and international experts from the field of renewable energy and community power will speak at the event about the importance of community energy. This year’s focus is on the issue of appropriate policy frameworks on how new alliances can help citizens to fulfil their key role in the global energy transition. In total, more than 100 international experts are expected to attend the event.

The first day is devoted to the importance of appropriate political framework conditions and, above all, analyses the situation of community wind in NRW and Germany. This will include a critical appraisal of the switch from feed-in tariffs to tenders. In addition, innovative business models and the importance of community energy in switching to 100% renewable energies will be the focus.

The second day will provide an opportunity to develop strategies for how citizens’ energy actors can strengthen their role through different models of cooperation, be it at regional, national or international level. A focus will also be on cooperation between developing and industrialised countries, as there are particular potentials for the development of a renewable energy supply based on local participation.

On May 28, the event will be held in German and English with simultaneous translation, and on 29 May, the conference language will be English.

Background: The event will take place in the context of the conclusion of the 2,5 years research project “Community Wind Power in Germany and North Rhine-Westphalia”. The study results are providing strong evidence that the current trend towards auctions in Germany and in many other countries has failed in securing diversity among wind power investors. Smaller actors like local community groups have hardly succeeded in securing new projects. The research project has tried to identified conducive political framework, and other means to lower risk for community power investors, as well as alternative market models in which community power actors can make use of their particular strengths.

Further information

directory.wwindea.org/listing/4th-international-community-wind-symposium/