An energy community is a grouping of citizens, businesses, or local authorities that come together to produce, share, and consume local energy, often renewable (solar panels, wind, etc.).

Legally, it is a legal entity (non-profit organization, cooperative, company...) whose main objective is to create environmental, economic, and social benefits.

No.

A community of energy often brings together:

• from producers (solar panels on roofs, parking lots, public buildings, etc.);

• consumers who have little or no production of their own.

The producers share their surplus with other consumer members through the 

community.

In very brief:

1. The community generates electricity (e.g., through a solar panel farm).

2. The smart meters measure in real time the production and consumption of the members.

3. The network manager calculates what portion of the energy produced is allocated to each member, according to a distribution key defined in the community rules.

4. This share reduces the electricity bill of the members, instead of the energy purchased from their supplier.

Yes.

Even in an energy community:

• the public network remains in use;

• The members still have a supplier for the energy consumed outside of sharing (at night, in winter, etc.).

The community somewhat overlaps with your current contract and reduces the amount of energy purchased from the supplier.