The expansion of wind energy and photovoltaics is progressing: renewable energies accounted for 55 percent of gross electricity consumption in 2024. It is crucial to continue this positive trend in the coming years. The success of the energy transition is key to achieving Germany's climate neutrality targets and a crisis-proof and independent energy supply.

There are still challenges that stand in the way of this goal: for example, the financing of the energy transition, the partial lack of acceptance among the population, existing grid bottlenecks and the necessary activation of flexibilities – where demand is aligned with supply. Citizens’ energy communities have the potential to contribute to these key challenges – provided they are given the necessary scope for action. If these challenges are not addressed by the federal government, this could slow down the energy transition.

The impulse paper makes three recommendations on how community energy can be promoted:

1. Define political goals for community energy,

2. considering community energy in the framework conditions and

3. rapidly expand digital networking and establish standards for market communication.