Takeaways from the StartSun Energy Communities webinar

06 October 2026

The StartSun energy communities webinar marked as the first webinar of the Interreg-funded project EnTRA’s Energy Transition Talks series. It brought together experts from Estonia, Latvia and Poland to discuss the development of energy communities across the Baltic Sea Region. The discussion showed that interest in energy communities is growing, driven by the search for cleaner, more secure and locally controlled energy systems. At the same time, participants highlighted that enthusiasm and investment alone are not enough to make energy communities work in practice.

Different countries, different stages

The panellists presented experiences from three countries at different stages of development.

In Estonia, energy communities are still at an early stage. Awareness and interest have increased, and several communities have already been established, particularly in southern Estonia. However, the lack of a practical energy-sharing framework remains an important barrier.

In Latvia, there is a growing community of practitioners and many emerging initiatives, but significant gaps remain between innovative ideas and the legal, technical and market frameworks needed for their implementation.

Poland has experienced rapid growth in registered energy communities. The discussion highlighted that around 840 communities are now registered, although registration does not necessarily mean that they are already operational. Municipalities are also working to prepare the tools and procedures needed to develop energy communities as the legal framework evolves.

Beyond technology: the importance of people and governance

One of the key messages from the discussion was that establishing an energy community is only the beginning. Communities need people who can manage administration, communicate with members, coordinate activities and ensure the long-term operation of the organisation.

Legal and institutional conditions are equally important. Procurement rules, decision-making procedures and limitations on energy sharing can make cooperation between municipalities, citizens and other actors difficult. The speakers also stressed the growing need for qualified specialists, advisory services and practical support for communities.

Energy security, resilience and stronger communities

The benefits of energy communities go beyond renewable energy production and potential financial savings. Speakers highlighted their contribution to energy security, local resilience and social cooperation.

Energy communities can give residents greater control over part of their local energy system and help maintain essential services during crises. They can also encourage communities to look at their energy system more broadly – from renewable generation to building renovation, heating and storage.

At the same time, the discussion underlined that energy communities are one element of the wider energy transition, rather than a universal solution. Their potential and benefits need to be assessed according to the specific local economic, environmental and social context.

Sharing experience to support the energy transition

The webinar opened a series of ten EnTRA Energy Transition Talks designed to support knowledge exchange between projects and stakeholders working on the energy transition in the Baltic Sea Region.

Through the EnTRA Knowledge Community, participants will have access to webinars, and informal peer-to-peer Coffee Chats. While the webinars will provide practical knowledge and examples of existing solutions, the Coffee Chats will create space for direct exchange of experiences, discussion of challenges and mutual learning between peers. The initiative aims to make existing knowledge and solutions easier to access, reuse and adapt in different contexts.

The first webinar demonstrated the value of bringing together experiences from different countries: while the regulatory and institutional contexts vary, many of the practical challenges are shared. Continued cooperation and exchange of experience can therefore help organisations move from promising ideas towards solutions that can be implemented and sustained in practice.