More and more households in Luxembourg are generating their own electricity using a solar panel system. But what can you do when your output exceeds your needs (and the payment you receive for electricity fed into the grid isn’t enough)? What if this energy could benefit your neighbours, your loved ones or anyone else?
Good news: it’s possible. Electricity sharing paves the way for a more local, more community-minded and smarter use of renewable energy, in a win-win situation for both producers and consumers.
Electricity sharing: how does it work?
When a solar installation generates electricity, it is first used in my home. This is known as self-consumption.
If production exceeds the household’s needs, the surplus electricity can be fed into the grid. (Generally speaking, the payment for this electricity fed into the grid is not very high.) However, under certain conditions, it is also possible to share it with other consumers.
The aim is simple: to enable more people to benefit from locally produced renewable electricity, whilst enjoying potentially lower electricity costs and promoting a more efficient use of the electricity grid.
In Luxembourg, several models exist.
Collective self-consumption: sharing electricity within a block of flats
In a residential block, the electricity generated by a photovoltaic system can be shared amongst several flats.
Residents thus share the electricity generated on-site directly, without having to pay grid charges for the shared electricity.
Find out more about collective self-consumption
Local energy community: sharing electricity with neighbours
When several consumers and producers wish to share electricity within a local area of up to 300 metres, they can set up a local energy community.
In this case, a legal structure is required, such as a non-profit association (ASBL).
This model enables neighbours, residents of a neighbourhood or a municipality to pool their renewable electricity generation without having to pay grid charges for the shared electricity.
Steps to follow to share solar power within an energy community
National energy community: sharing electricity across Luxembourg
Sharing can also take place on a national scale.
A national energy community enables members located in different regions of Luxembourg to share the same electricity generation.
This solution may, for example, be of interest for sharing with relatives living elsewhere in the country, or for any other sharing arrangement extending beyond the 300-metre radius. However, grid charges will then apply to the quantities of electricity shared.
Sharing between active customers: a new scheme on the way
From autumn 2026, a new sharing scheme will be available to all consumers: sharing between active customers. This allows people to share their electricity, with no distance limit, without having to set up a legal entity. Although network charges apply under this scheme, it facilitates the establishment of sharing groups at all levels.
Why share your solar-generated electricity in Luxembourg?
Electricity sharing can offer benefits for both producers and consumers.
For producers, it allows them to make better use of the surplus electricity generated by their solar installation.
For consumers, it can provide access to locally produced renewable electricity at a potentially favourable rate.
Beyond the economic aspect, electricity sharing also promotes more conscious energy consumption. Participants are encouraged to use more electricity when solar generation is available, which can help to better balance the electricity grid.
How is electricity sharing managed and monitored?
Electricity sharing relies on digital tools that enable the monitoring of the quantities shared between different members.
In Luxembourg, the Leneda platform, in particular, allows users to view electricity flows within a sharing group in detail. Each producer and consumer can track their own consumption of electricity – whether self-consumed, shared or drawn from the grid. The group representative, meanwhile, has an overview of the quantities of electricity shared amongst all members. Thanks to this transparency and access to downloadable data, managing a sharing group is made considerably easier.
Is electricity sharing right for your situation?
Every project is different. Before joining or setting up a sharing group, it may be worth asking yourself a few questions:
- Do you already have a solar panel system?
- Do you regularly generate more electricity than you consume?
- Would you like to share your generation with neighbours, relatives or other residents in your local area?
- Is there already a local initiative near you?
Klima-Agence advisers can provide you with free, independent advice to help identify the solution best suited to your situation.
Make an appointment
Example of electricity sharing in Luxembourg: Waldbillig on video
In this RTL Energietipp report, discover how residents of the municipality of Waldbillig have set up several electricity-sharing groups within a local energy community.
