Citizen Motivation and Collective Action in the Development of Energy Communities: A Case Study of Latvia

Abstract In line with the objective endorsed by the Council of the European Union, a climate-neutral European Union must be achieved by 2050. This means significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the EU by 2050 and finding ways to offset residual and unavoidable emissions. Energy communities, in particular, are seen as citizen-led energy actions that will help pave the way for a clean energy transition. Along with the European Union’s objective of achieving climate neutrality by 2050, the involvement of citizens in the energy transition and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions is of paramount importance. One way to facilitate the transition is through the creation of energy communities: citizen-led initiatives that promote the use of renewable energy sources and local energy production. However, the success of these initiatives depends not only on regulatory and technological conditions, but also on citizens’ willingness to cooperate and act collectively. The paper explores what would motivate Latvian residents to participate in energy communities and assesses their potential for engagement, with a particular focus on multi-apartment buildings and their potential role in energy communities. Drawing on a theoretical literature review and survey data, the study assesses the awareness, motivation, and barriers to the development of energy communities among the public and building managers. It provides an in-depth analysis of residents’ attitudes and their potential for participation in Latvia – a country where the concept of energy communities is still relatively new and largely unexplored. The results of the study show that residents prefer economic benefits over the benefits of the local community or the environment, and also show the small experience of the population in collective action. These findings of the study contribute to a broader understanding of the social aspects of the European energy transition in the case of Latvia and are useful for both policy makers and local governments, which should take the lead in organising and coordinating the development of energy communities.