Comergy 2026: Community Energy Futures Conference

As the global energy system undergoes a profound transformation driven by decarbonisation, decentralisation and democratisation, communities, local organisations and small businesses are increasingly taking an active role in how energy is generated, managed and shared. Community energy is no longer confined to isolated pilot projects. It is evolving through neighbourhoods, towns and local precincts, where shared renewables, microgrids, energy storage and digital platforms are reshaping the way energy systems are designed, governed and experienced at the local level.

Comergy 2026 builds on this momentum as a dedicated international platform to examine the evolving role of community energy hubs in locally governed contexts. The conference recognises community energy as both a technical and social innovation, integrating infrastructure, governance, markets and participation to deliver resilient, low-carbon and locally beneficial energy solutions that are grounded in place and community ownership.

The conference will convene researchers, policymakers, local governments, industry partners, community practitioners, students and advocates to engage in critical dialogue, knowledge exchange and solution-focused discussion. Topics will span distributed renewable integration, neighbourhood and community-scale microgrids, energy storage, peer-to-peer and local energy markets, digital coordination tools, and policy and regulatory frameworks that support inclusive and community-led energy transitions.

A defining feature of Comergy 2026 is its emphasis on collaboration and implementation. Sessions are designed to connect research insights with lived experience and practical application, highlighting governance models, financing approaches and partnership structures that enable small-scale community energy initiatives to move from concept to operation. The conference places particular value on collaboration between communities, councils, researchers and practitioners as a foundation for long-term impact.

Comergy 2026 offers a focused yet internationally relevant space for participants to contribute to shaping the future of community energy by learning from local experience, building shared understanding and strengthening networks that translate knowledge into meaningful, community-centred action.

The key presentation themes are:

• Technological Innovations for Community Energy Systems

• Energy Justice, Equity and Inclusive Transitions

• Local and Neighbourhood Energy Hubs and Microgrids

• Energy Storage and Flexibility for Community Resilience

• Local Energy Markets, Trading Mechanisms and Community Business Models

• Digital Twins, Data Platforms and Visualisation for Community Energy

• Circular Economy and Sustainable Resource Pathways in Community Energy

• Community Governance and Co-Design in Renewable Energy

• Policy, Regulation and Collaborative Pathways for Scaling Community Energy

We welcome submissions from researchers, students, practitioners and community groups. You do not need to follow a strict academic format. Clear, relevant and practice-informed contributions are strongly encouraged.