Techno-economic evaluation of Energy Community configurations based on the individual economic benefit of the members: the case of Cyprus

Energy Communities (ECs) enable the participation of citizens in the energy transition, facilitating the shift towards a consumer-centric energy system. Given the voluntary and open nature of ECs, the participation of citizens can be challenging, especially in the early stages of development. This paper addresses this by evaluating the individual economic benefits of existing or potential EC members under different EC configurations. Three basic EC configurations were examined for the case of Cyprus: (i) the EC acting as an electricity producer and exporter, (ii) the EC acting as an electricity producer for maximum self-consumption, and (iii) the EC members trading energy among themselves using an EC-based local electricity market. The results showcased the potential of ECs as an alternative to traditional RES residential schemes, while also highlighting the economic challenges associated with implementing such configurations.