Flexibility provisions through local energy communities: A review

The energy communities have the potential to accelerate energy transition and empower consumers, thereby, promoting collaborative social transformation. The local energy communities can support the power grid by offering a variety of flexibility services through demand response, load shifting and energy storage. However, existing electricity markets, tariffs and regulations often hindering effective and sustainable solutions. This paper provides a comprehensive review about designing flexibility provisions for local energy communities in the context of existing and emerging flexible electricity markets. Further, it also discusses the need for social arrangements, technical designs, and their impact on energy communities. Based on reviewed literature findings and from the research projects at Department of Energy, Aalborg University as a part of the SERENE and SUSTENANCE EU Horizon 2020 projects involving sustainable energy communities, future directions will be highlighted. •Designing flexibility provisions for local energy communities.•Need for local flexibility markets and appropriate pricing mechanisms.•Major barriers associated with the implementation of energy communities.