J.J. McMurtry of York University partnered with Judith Lipp of the TREC Renewable Energy Co-operative to study the status of the Renewable Energy co-op sector in Canada and internationally, with a focus on regulatory processes related to grid-connected electricity generation from low-impact renewable sources including solar, wind, biogas and small hydro. As part of their research, McMurtry and Lipp conducted a literature review on the positive impacts that renewable energy co-ops can bring to communities. This summary is a brief overview of the impacts identified in that research, including maximizing citizen engagement, and increasing community resiliency. This document contains an extensive bibliography.