The pattern “coordinating partners” focuses on the engagement of external partners. Managing the interests and stakes of outsiders to the energy community can be very important for the smooth initiation as well as the stable operation of the energy community. Fulfilling this function requires analysing the interests of the outsiders and understanding which impacts the energy community has on them.

Implementation reference

• Provide a customer acquisition, engagement and retainment solutions for the retail sector for utility companies (ThermoVault);
• Assign excess bids of the P2P platform to the local utility company (Quartierstrom / WEW Walenstadt);
• Academia as coordinating partner (ThermoVault & Quartierstrom, Smart Otaniemi)
• Providing a customer acquisition, engagement and retainment solutions, sell excess local renewable generation (Som Energia, Ecopower, Sonnen community)

Research reference

• Ricard et al (2020): Engaging outsiders in platform business models

This pattern belongs to the core area: Key Functions