The BRIDGE Working Group Report on Energy Regulation offers a critical and collaborative overview of the current state of shared energy in Europe, with particular emphasis on its application in buildings.

Although the concept—which enables citizens to share locally generated renewable electricity—has gained legal recognition through Directive 2024/1711, its practical implementation remains uneven. Countries such as Portugal, France, Spain, Italy, and Austria have made progress in establishing functional regulatory frameworks, yet technical and administrative limitations persist. These include the absence of dynamic allocation coefficients and the lack of key roles such as the 'shared energy organiser'.

In the building sector, energy communities are increasingly being integrated into residential environments, with pilot projects demonstrating benefits in efficiency, resilience, and cost reduction. However, these initiatives also face barriers, including regulatory complexity, insufficient incentives, and resistance from certain market actors.

The report presents eight concrete recommendations to unlock the potential of shared energy in buildings. These include the need for clear guidance for Member States, streamlined registration procedures, deployment of smart metering systems, and the creation of local energy markets. It also highlights the importance of transparent data governance and systemic approaches that integrate electricity, heating, and mobility.

Experiences from projects such as PEDvolution, LocalRES, and FEDECOM show that when interoperable technologies, inclusive business models, and citizen engagement are combined, shared energy can become a powerful tool for urban decarbonisation. The report concludes with a call to strengthen cooperation among local, national, and European stakeholders, and to ensure that future regulation protects consumer rights and promotes energy equity.