It is easy to understand why an area like Scalve in the north east of Italy (Bergamo), so rich in natural resources, would aspire to develop excellent land management practices and a reliable source of renewable energy.  So much so, that it was selected to join a European programme entitled "Aspire Communities".  The aim of the programme being to develop a solution to increase energy sustainability in peripheral regions by developing a replicable model for creating Sustainable Energy Communities .  In developing this model, the project partners representing the ASPIRE communities have undertaken rigorous reviews of energy resources and demand and attempted to actively engage local citizens and key stakeholders to develop a comprehensive Sustainable Energy Action Plan.

My first meetings were with Professor Riva of the Italian Thermotechnical Committee and Michele Balzarini, an engineer and representative of the Scalve community to hear how the project had gone and how actively the community had been involved in the process.

The main conclusions from my visit have been that whilst there is huge renewable potential in this area and the community are ambitious to take matters in to their own hands, the future project developments depend entirely on financial support from the four local municipalities of Azzone, Colere, Schilpario and Vilminore di Scalve.   Members of the planning committee tend to be older or retired members of the community (who have always been 'active') and there is little available by way of loans for renewable developments alone.  Some of the major barriers affecting overall 'environmental awareness' by the wider public seem to be the the culture of 'free money' which has existed in Italy for a long time and in the crudest sense means people are not really prepared to change their behaviour and attitudes if there is no money available to do so.  According to Professor Riva, a push towards long term (15 or so years) low interest loans to boost the renewables industry and allow for smaller players would make a massive difference and slowly change the 'free money' culture which remains despite the impact that the economic crisis is having throughout Italy. According to Professor Riva, what is missing is a national energy 'champion' who can recentralise thinking across departments and regions for sustainable energy planning in the future.

The long awaited UK Renewable Energy Strategy has just been published and if the rhetoric is serious, then there has never been a better time for communities to move themselves to the forefront of innovative and renewable micro-power production.  The UK has signed up to the EU Renewable Energy Directive which includes a UK target of 15 percent of energy from renewables by 2020.  Much is to be done if this target is to be met and we will need a comprehensive mix of micro and macro power resources ranging from domestic and community micro generation through to local authority and large scale projects.  Whilst micro-generation starts to get some serious and warmly welcomed attention by policy makers in the UK, parts of Europe still storm ahead in the renewable race setting themselves goals of 100% renewable by 2020 or ‘Fossil Free' by 2015; and all with a massive input by community-owned projects!