Project Overview
The research project Compensation Rules Among Members of Heterogeneous Energy Communities, funded under the Italian PRIN 2022 programme (Ministry of University and Research – MUR), investigates the economic, regulatory and behavioural determinants of compensation mechanisms within renewable energy communities. Particular attention is devoted to heterogeneous communities involving households, firms, public institutions and energy producers, where incentive allocation and governance rules play a crucial role in ensuring stability, participation and investment efficiency.
Scientific Objectives
The core objective of the project is the identification of compensation and incentive-sharing schemes capable of ensuring economic sustainability, fairness among members and consistency with public policies supporting the energy transition. The analysis considers both collective self-consumption configurations and renewable energy communities operating under evolving regulatory frameworks, with a focus on investment incentives, operational coordination and institutional design.
Methodological Approach
The research integrates theoretical modelling, quantitative economic analysis and empirical investigation. Methodological tools include optimization models, stochastic programming techniques for energy market uncertainty, game-theoretic frameworks addressing strategic interactions among heterogeneous agents, and experimental approaches based on laboratory experiments and structured surveys. This integrated approach allows the project to combine analytical rigour with policy relevance and empirical validation.
Research Units and Scientific Roles
The project involves two complementary research units:
- University of Brescia (Principal Investigator unit) — primarily responsible for theoretical modelling, optimization of investment and operational decisions, regulatory analysis and development of stochastic modelling tools for energy markets.
- University of Turin — mainly responsible for empirical activities, including behavioural experiments, surveys and analysis of decision-making processes within renewable energy communities.
This collaboration ensures integration between formal modelling and empirical validation of policy-relevant research questions.
Policy Relevance and Research Perspectives
Beyond theoretical modelling, the project contributes to the policy debate on renewable energy communities by analysing incentive design, governance mechanisms and regulatory frameworks supporting decentralized renewable energy systems. Ongoing research extensions include integration with energy market uncertainty modelling and links between renewable energy communities, electrification processes and sustainable mobility systems.