Energy: ENEA and CNEL sign memorandum of understanding on renewable energy communities and environmental sustainability

ENEA and the National Council for Economics and Labor (CNEL) have signed an interinstitutional agreement today aimed at promoting Renewable Energy Communities (RECs) as a development model based on a transparent energy transition and designed to meet the needs of local communities. The agreement also aims to enhance WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) recycling activities associated with RECs, given their strategic importance for the circular economy.

Furthermore, the collaboration includes joint initiatives to foster a culture centered on environmental sustainability and the production of green energy. An ENEA contribution to the CNEL report on public services is also planned.

“The agreement with ENEA” said CNEL President Renato Brunetta “represents a strategic step toward supporting the energy transition, thanks to an approach that puts people and local communities at the center. Renewable Energy Communities are not just a tool for producing clean energy: they are a new development model capable of combining environmental sustainability, technological innovation, participation, cost savings, the circular economy and social cohesion. “As CNEL, we are seeking smart networks—regional networks, networks among institutions, businesses, social partners and citizens. And Renewable Energy Communities represent exactly that: an extraordinary network that generates economic, environmental and social value. With ENEA, we are launching a highly valuable partnership, offering the country an authoritative point of reference for an energy transition grounded in knowledge, participation and shared responsibility”.

“Today, the CERs” pointed out ENEA President Francesca Mariotti “are a key tool for the expansion of renewable energy and a shining example of active participation by citizens, businesses and local governments. The agreement signed today, which stems from the collaboration between our CER Observatory and the Working Group established by the CNEL, aims to strengthen the CERs as a central element of the energy transition—a transition that, to be successfully implemented, requires a solid technical and scientific foundation as well as policies with strong social and economic roots. “As ENEA, we make our expertise available to the CNEL and the country, provide services to local communities, and support them in implementing best practices and innovative solutions, convinced that the energy transition must be understood, embraced and accessible”.