Enhancement Review of the Collective Self-Consumption based Energy Communities: Insights from a Spain-based Case

Collective Self-Consumption (CSC) is among the most widely adopted models for energy communities in countries like Spain and France. Despite its growth, challenges remain in optimizing photovoltaic energy distribution, improving short- to medium-term investment returns, and advancing toward smarter, self-sustaining communities. This study examines the Spain regulatory framework to identify key opportunities for enhancing CSC performance. A real-world case study of a Municipal Energy Community (MEC) in Barcelona is analyzed employing historical consumption and generation data. Simulations across two time-interval scenarios are presented, with the objective of evaluating current energy management strategies. The results highlight critical areas where optimization algorithms or machine learning approaches could substantially improve energy distribution and overall community performance.