Impact of CO2 pricing on cost savings in energy communities

The Clean Energy for all Europeans Package and the subsequent national implementation created the possibility of establishing energy communities in Austria in July 2021. Although the main purpose of energy communities in Austria is not the financial gain (but rather ecological and social benefits), economic benefits may be achieved for the members. Due to limited financial means of a large percentage of the population, financial benefits are seen as an important factor, amongst others, to participate in energy communities and to reach broad diffusion of the concept. These financial benefits for community members are expected to increase when CO2 payments on fossil heating and vehicle fuels come into place. Within this work, an optimization model is developed with the objective of reducing energy-related costs for the entire energy community. Energy cost savings for different CO2 prices for the first energy community established in a social housing quarter in Vienna are determined.