The BrightRoof best practices collection brings together national approaches and municipal examples to inform the planning, financing and implementation of rooftop solar photovoltaic systems on public buildings.
INZEB presents the BrightRoof report “Best practices collection: examples of procedures and case studies from EU municipalities for advancing rooftop solar PV uptake”, prepared with contributions from WWF Greece, WWF Bulgaria and SOFENA. The publication examines experience relevant to public-building solar projects, with attention to the administrative arrangements, financing mechanisms and local partnerships behind their development. It provides reference material for the project’s work in Greece and Bulgaria.
The collection approaches rooftop solar as more than an equipment installation. Its case studies consider how projects are prepared, which organisations participate, how investment is organised and how municipalities and citizens are involved. The report is structured around two complementary levels: national arrangements that shape project development and local examples that illustrate different implementation approaches.
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National approaches to financing and project preparation
The national-level chapter covers fiscal measures, targeted co-financing and technical assistance. It includes a case study on the VAT treatment of photovoltaic installations in Germany and an example of support for public-sector solar energy communities in Slovenia, focusing on the Gorenjska region. The Slovenian case explores the relationship between funding arrangements, cooperation among public bodies and the preparation of solar projects on public buildings and parking areas.
Project preparation is explored through the Croatian PVmax case study. The report describes technical assistance coordinated by the North West Croatia Energy Agency, REGEA, with support from the European Investment Bank’s ELENA facility. The services documented include building screening, feasibility studies, roof-structure assessments, technical documentation, and support with contracts and tendering. This example gives readers an overview of the preparatory work involved before a rooftop solar investment can move towards procurement and installation.
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Municipal implementation and community participation
At the local level, the collection presents different arrangements for developing solar projects across municipal buildings. The Ljubljana case examines a public-private partnership for photovoltaic installations on public facilities. The Zagreb case focuses on a coordinated municipal programme that combines technical preparation, project development, and an information service for prospective participants. Together, these examples offer material for examining how responsibilities are organised across a portfolio of buildings rather than within a single installation.
Citizen participation is another theme. The Green Hrastnik cooperative in Slovenia and the Gabrovo energy community in Bulgaria illustrate arrangements involving municipalities, residents and other local organisations. Their case studies examine community ownership, member participation, financing contributions and the use of public infrastructure. They also document the organisational work needed to establish and maintain collaboration among participants with different roles and resources.
The Greek examples bring the discussion closer to national implementation. The Vari-Voula-Vouliagmeni case presents a cluster of photovoltaic installations on municipal buildings, connected with project preparation under PRODESA and an energy service company arrangement. The Athens case examines installations at the Serafeion municipal complex and school buildings, with particular attention to electricity consumption patterns, available installation space, system selection and monitoring. These examples connect the financing and governance discussion with the practical characteristics of public buildings.
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A resource for municipal planning and knowledge exchange
The case-study format enables readers to examine each example’s governance, financing mechanism, technical characteristics, and implementation status, alongside lessons where available. It provides a basis for discussing which elements may be relevant to another municipality and which depend on specific local, institutional or regulatory conditions.
For municipal technical services, energy agencies, financing practitioners, community organisations and project developers, the publication offers concrete examples to examine alongside their own project requirements. The documented approaches cover individual buildings, groups of municipal facilities and community-based arrangements, allowing readers to consider different scales and forms of participation.
Within BrightRoof, the collection complements the national analyses of permitting and financial bottlenecks. It contributes reference material for stakeholder discussions and the development of subsequent project recommendations as part of the project’s wider work on municipal capacity and rooftop solar deployment in Greece and Bulgaria.
Funding acknowledgement and disclaimer
This project is part of the European Climate Initiative (EUKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN). The opinions put forward in this publication are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Climate Action, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety (BMUKN).
