Energy market policy. Local and regional experience and policy recommendations – Study

Local and regional authorities (LRAs) deal in many ways with the range of subjects under the Energy Union strategic framework such as electricity market design, energy efficiency, energy performance of buildings and renewable energy.

LRAs are key actors in the conception and implementation of EU common policies and legislation. They act inter alia as licensing authorities, owners of public buildings, energy utilities and RES or CHP installations, purchasers of services and energy, etc.

They are responsible for a large part of the economic structures in their cities and regions and have many direct tasks and responsibilities in the field of education. LRAs are closest to citizens, energy consumers as well as initiators of local and regional sustainable energy projects and their needs and problems.

Local governments play a significant role in influencing energy systems; the designers and financial supporters of these systems, however, mostly are national and international bodies. So, while there is a lot that local and regional entities can do on their own, there are many areas where there is a need of support from the national and European level as well as a need to take into account the specific conditions on the local and regional level in order not to create (additional) obstacles when it comes to the promotion of sustainable energy on the local and regional level.