Actor-Network Theory as a Framework to Analyse the Emerging of Renewable Energy Communities in Italy

The paper addressed the issue of the emergence of renewable energy communities (RECs) in Italy, after the related law which entered into force in 2020 allowing the possibility of creating them. We especially focused on the process of creating alliances among different actors - professional, institutions, NGOs, citizens - highlighting possible trends or models for the future that need to be verified in further research. The approach proposed to carry out the analysis of this current process is the Actor-Network Theory, aiming at drawing the assemblages of human and non-human actants at a general level. In accordance with this analysis, we selected three case studies in order to show their different ways of organising, the relevance of the trust in establishing each REC and of local context in affecting the composition and features of the actor-networks. The proposed analysis aimed to show how it is possible to identify different networks in accordance with the different visions of the RECs and the socio-economic needs related to the various geographical areas of Italy. This kind of research and its rationale could be useful and replicable in relation to countries featuring considerable internal differences such as Italy.