What StartSun pilots teach us about building energy communities

21 September 2026

Energy communities are often described through technology: solar panels, batteries, electricity sharing and grid connections. The StartSun pilots show that the real story is wider. Shared energy is also about trust, local needs, clear numbers, legal frameworks and people who are willing to carry an idea forward.

Across Estonia, Sweden, Finland and Latvia, StartSun has tested how energy communities could work in very different places. The pilots did not follow one simple path. Some started from an urgent local problem. Some tested whether a promising idea could work. Some moved towards implementation. Others showed why good intentions are not always enough.

That is exactly why the project matters.

In Obinitsa, Estonia, the starting point was very concrete: high electricity costs, a cold storage facility and several tonnes of berries that once melted after a power outage. The case shows how a real local problem can create momentum. People understood the need because it affected their everyday work. StartSun gave the framework and support, but the motivation came from the community itself.

In Grebo, Sweden, the story was different. There was no sudden crisis. Instead, the pilot explored whether a growing village, with a school, church, grocery store and village association, could imagine a shared local energy future. The interest was real, but the case showed an important challenge: curiosity is not the same as capacity. An energy community needs people who can keep the process moving after the first meeting.

Facetten, also in Sweden, showed that even a promising site is not enough. On paper, the conditions looked good: a municipal building, business tenants, and space for solar panels nearby. In practice, the financial model, political confidence, and business commitment were not strong enough. Still, the pilot created value by building knowledge inside the municipality and shaping future energy planning.

In Marttila, Finland, the focus was on a housing property. The case showed that energy communities often start with calculations, not panels. Before making decisions, housing companies need to understand costs, savings, risks, payback time, building conditions, and financing. In Marttila, modelling helped make the idea concrete, but the roof, local grid and funding still slowed implementation.

In Jelgava, Latvia, the pilot brought the energy transition into public buildings: a school with a swimming pool and a culture centre. This made renewable energy visible in places people use every day. At the same time, Jelgava showed how complex a new legal model can be. The first year of operation will show what works, what needs adjustment and how municipal energy communities could be replicated.

Together, these pilots show that energy communities are not created by installing solar panels alone. They begin earlier, when people recognise a shared need, understand the options and decide that cooperation is worth the effort.

The value of StartSun is that it does not present one perfect model. Instead, it shows real experiences: urgency in Obinitsa, curiosity in Grebo, barriers in Facetten, calculations in Marttila and legal testing in Jelgava. These differences make the project useful for others.

A village, municipality, housing company or cooperative can look at these stories and ask: do we have a real need? Do we have people ready to lead? Do the numbers work? Are the buildings suitable? Is the legal setup clear? What support do we need before taking the next step?

That may be the most important lesson. Energy communities can support local resilience, reduce risks and make renewable energy more practical. But they need time, trust, knowledge and support. StartSun shows that shared energy is not only a technical solution. It is a community process.