Assessing energy sustainability of rural communities using Principal Component Analysis

Engaging communities to action under the new climate change regime and fostering citizens to adopt sustainable energy patterns, remains still a challenge. A new impetus for commitment was put in place for local regions, through the Covenant of Mayors (CoM) initiative by the EU communities. The key challenge is the penetration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES), since most rural communities have vast unexploited RES potential (solar, wind, biomass, etc.). RES promotion could also specifically support rural communities’ challenges as regards growth, jobs and sustainability, which are also aggravated by the current financial and economic crisis.