Buenos Aires Province Implements Regulatory Framework for Community-Based Renewable Energy Generation

The Ministry of Infrastructure and Public Services of Buenos Aires Province formalized the Regulation of Community Distributed Generation (Generación Distribuida Comunitaria) through Resolution 17/2026, published in January 2026. This regulatory milestone legalizes and structures collaborative renewable energy projects where multiple independent users or a single user with multiple meters connected to the same local electricity distributor can pool investments to install renewable systems exceeding 10 kW. The generated electricity primarily covers self-consumption needs; any surplus is injected into the public distribution network. The economic value of these injected surpluses is credited to the associated users’ bills proportionally to their pre-agreed participation. This collective generation model addresses a prior regulatory gap, as previous frameworks favored only individual users such as households or small businesses, limiting scale and community involvement.

Participants are required to register with the Province’s Renewable Energy User-Generator Registry (RUGER), administered by OCEBA, which verifies compliance and issues certificates granting access to tax exemptions and fiscal benefits under provincial law 15.325, aligned with national incentives (Law 27.424). RUGER also coordinates monthly reporting with the provincial tax authority, ARBA, to apply the corresponding benefits. Buenos Aires already accounts for a significant share of Argentina’s distributed renewable capacity, and this new framework is expected to catalyze community solar projects, small industrial shared generation, and energy cooperatives.

Industry experts highlight that the framework’s clarity on surplus monetization reduces regulatory risks, enhances project bankability, and establishes scalable models with defined technical and contractual rules. Though not enabling wholesale market participation, the scheme lays foundations for integrating storage, demand management, and emerging energy services, positioning the province for a more resilient and decentralized clean energy future. This initiative strengthens Buenos Aires’ energy transition strategy by democratizing power generation and fostering sustainable urban and rural development.