An Integrated Framework for Stakeholder and Citizen Engagement in Solar Neighborhoods
This is a report from SHC Task 63: Solar neighborhood planning and work performed in Subtask B: Economic Strategies and Stakeholder Engagement
March 2024 - PDF 0.82MB
Editor: Nicolas Caballero, Jessica Balest, Grazia Giacovelli

This report proposes an integrated framework for stakeholder engagement in solar neighborhoods, informed by practical insights from behavioral science (a practice known as behavioral design). It includes insights from behavioral science and detail how their application can enrich participatory processes, contextualizing these insights to the case of solar neighborhood planning. A stakeholder ENGAGEment-behavioral Design framework (ENGAGED), was developed. This framework is intended to inform engagement processes in solar neighborhood planning and highlight how several phases in the development of a solar project can be informed by engagement activities and citizen participation.

Solar Neighborhood Financing Mechanisms and Business Models
Economic incentives and business models that promote the diffusion of solar neighborhoods
March 2024 - PDF 0.35MB
Editor: Maria Wall

Since solar neighborhoods often span multiple land use spaces, local community members are key stakeholders in these developments. As such, involving the community can help promote and accelerate the investment and dissemination of these developments. In doing so, certain solar neighborhood business models can include individuals who otherwise cannot gain direct benefits from solar projects due to not having the ability to purchase their own solar equipment.

Within the framework of IEA SHC Task 63, business models were developed to be flexible in terms of who sponsors the project versus who ultimately owns/hosts the completed development. This allows for models where community members can be involved in some way - either as sponsors of the project or as part of a customer base leasing or subscribing to the project's output.

Surface Uses in Solar Neighborhoods
Definition of the most suitable surface uses to prevent conflicts and create synergies
September 2022 - PDF 4.01MB
Editor: Silvia Croce

This report has been completed through international collaboration under the International Energy Agency (IEA) Solar Heating and Cooling (SHC) Programme - Task 63 on Solar Neighborhood Planning. Specifically, the work contributes to Task 63 Subtask B - Economic Strategies and Stakeholder Engagement by identifying and discussing the potential usage of different urban surfaces in harvesting solar energy. Special focus has been placed on the identification of conflicts and synergies among solutions, and their contribution to the major climate resilience and sustainability objectives defined by solar neighborhoods.