Abstract

Establishing energy communities has emerged as a promising strategy for advancing energy transitions and is gaining widespread popularity in Europe. Since 2021, new Austrian legal reforms have been boosting the popularity energy communities in the country, aiming to foster local energy production, equitable resource distribution, and community engagement. This paper examines the Austrian and Spanish contexts, focusing on the Schönbühel-Aggsbach energy community in rural Austria, and the Urtinsa energy community in Alcorcón. Both energy communities have distinct ways of operating, highlighting the variability of energy community structures. Through these case studies, we explore the potential associations with energy commons. Drawing on institutional logics, energy justice, and critiques of capitalist structures, the paper identifies four key paradoxes inherent in energy commons and proposes pathways for creating more inclusive, integrated, and sustainable energy systems. The findings highlight the need for further empirical research and context-specific solutions to address the complexities of energy transitions.