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Page added on December 20, 2013
Catalonia Declares Energy Independence
Som Energia (We are Energy) is Spain’s first renewable energy cooperative, founded in 2010 by one hundred and fifty Catalan citizens. Achieving European level recognition in the 2013 Sustainable Energy Europe Awards, Som Energia is now campaigning nationwide to promote and establish the business model for locally owned and produced renewable energy.
In just three years the cooperative has invested over EUR 3.5 million in sustainable energy schemes including eight photovoltaic schemes, a 500-kilowatt biogas plant and a 80-kilowatt biomass heater. The cooperative is now preparing for a substantial wind energy investment. Generation capacity currently stands at 4,200 megawatts of electricity, equating to an annual reduction of 2,640 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions or the electricity use of 1,400 people. The ultimate goal is for the cooperative to produce enough electricity to meet all of its members’ consumption.
According to Nuri Palmada of Som Energia, the success of the venture is evidence of a growing grassroots demand for sustainable forms of energy. “The project combines in an exemplary way the cooperative concept, the commitment of citizens, and local energy generation from renewable sources,” she said. Ms Palmada added that the cooperative had helped to change attitudes in Spain, transforming passive consumption into responsible, citizen-led investment. Significant bureaucratic and technical difficulties were encountered in the development process, in part due to the dominance of Spain’s energy market by a small number of powerful and established companies.
Described as a social enterprise, the business model of the cooperative is in many respects more efficient than commercial electricity generating companies since it has no publicity costs, does not pay large management salaries, operates modest offices and communicates with its members via the internet. The cooperative is campaigning to establish this business model in other parts of Spain, where forty local volunteer groups around the country are promoting the cause of clean, locally produced and owned sustainable energy generation.
Som Energia follows a similar model of collectively-owned green energy cooperatives that have been successful for several years in Northern European countries such as Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark and the UK. Citizens join through a one-off refundable payment of EUR 100 and thereby become co-owners of the cooperative and can vote on decisions about future investments. Members can also invest directly in the development of renewable energy schemes connected to the network, and buy their green energy at the same price as conventionally-produced electricity.
Given the wider economic picture in Spain, the cooperative movement may be well timed to gain a stronger foothold in the energy sector. Spain’s economy has shrunk by around 7.5 % since a property bubble burst in 2008, leaving millions of low-skilled laborers out of work while the government slashed spending on health, education and some social services and raised taxes to tame a soaring public deficit. According to official European Union statistics, in August 2013 Spain had the second highest unemployment rate in Europe at 26.7 %. Youth unemployment is particularly acute at 57.4 %, and according to Catholic charity Caritas more than 6 % of Spain’s population (around 3 million people) lived on EUR 307 ($410) a month or less last year.
Cooperatives however tend to thrive in such challenging contexts, and with growing European Union support for community financed local energy production, Som Energia may well be successful in their efforts to mainstream the renewable energy cooperative model.
It is hoped that more inspiring examples of local action for sustainable energy in Europe will be highlighted and supported in 2014.
12 Comments on "Catalonia Declares Energy Independence"
Makati1 on Fri, 20th Dec 2013 4:35 pm
“Catalonia Declares Energy Independence”
or
“…The ultimate goal is for the cooperative to produce enough electricity to meet all of its members’ consumption….”
Which is correct? Answer: Neither one!
Why? As long as they use materials needing hydrocarbons in their manufacture and installation, they are NOT independent.
More techie BS.
rockman on Fri, 20th Dec 2013 5:36 pm
I don’t fault them for ignoring the energy input of their effort: you have to spend some energy to save some energy. But I’m more than a tad suspicious of the numbers they offer: so they spent about $4.5 million to create a system that supplies electricity to 1,400 homes. That’s at cost of about $3,200 per home. Or about $270/month per home. I don’t know what electricity cost those folks but I’m sure it isn’t cheap. So their numbers indicate the project would payout in about a year…maybe less. And from what I read that would make it the most economical alt project of all time by a wide margin. Thus my suspicions.
ezrydermike on Fri, 20th Dec 2013 7:17 pm
I think more importantly is that I am seeing more and more alternate ways of financing and investing in alt energy such as Mosiac and the ManagEnergy site referenced in the article.
DC on Fri, 20th Dec 2013 10:53 pm
Co-operative arer indeed a good business model, especially when cast against US MNC corporations. But, energy? I would think co-ops for growing food, building low-cost housing, anyting really to help get out from all the problems Spain has atm, and the article even lists them off. Electrical energy production hardly seems to me to be one of Spains pressing concerns atm. I dont know, but If I was desperately poor, out of work, and all that, and someone came along said, “I got a great idea, lets start a solar\wind power co-op!” Like rock says, solar and wind electricity isnt exactly cheap so Its not clear to me what problem this co-op aims to ‘fix’.
Wouldnt you think that was a little mis-guided all things considered? In my local area, we have 100% renewable pollution-free electricity (Hydro). But there are lots of people out of work here too. Not bad like Spain, but bad enough. As much as I personally would like to be off-grid myself, a wind\solar co-op around here would probably be the least helpful thing one could do. It wouldnt be at the top of my to do list.
Strange article…but these are strange times arent they?
J-Gav on Fri, 20th Dec 2013 11:34 pm
I wish the Catalans well but just ‘declaring’ this or that doesn’t automatically make it come to be.
Makati1 on Sat, 21st Dec 2013 1:14 am
DC, Catalonia is the wealthy part of Spain. That is one reason they want to break away from the rest of Spain. They are getting hit harder in the money crunch in Europe.
To them, maybe this is pocket change, but for most of the world this is beyond more than dreams today. And as the economy slides into the deep depression, it will be more and more just a dream.
Arthur on Sat, 21st Dec 2013 7:53 am
In per capita terms, ‘poor’ Spain is wind energy country #1 in the world:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wind_power_by_country
(Excluding tiny Denmark perhaps, not listed).
Combined with a pleasant climate with less need for space heating and large potential for the application of solar plus a lot of mountains, meaning potential for hydro storage, Spain’s energy future looks better than elsewhere. If you travel through beautiful Spain, poverty is not the first thing coming to mind. And these high unemployment numbers are nothing new.
Arthur on Sat, 21st Dec 2013 8:14 am
so they spent about $4.5 million to create a system that supplies electricity to 1,400 homes. That’s at cost of about $3,200 per home. Or about $270/month per home.
Uh no, that is a one time investment for the entire lifetime of the wind turbine, usually set at 30 years, not one year. Obviously maintenance comes extra. And the tower has a far greater life expectancy, like two centuries or more, think Eiffel tower. A good friend of mine recently invested 2000 euro in a similar project in Holland. Community or private projects are the future of energy. In windy northern Germany, private farmers meanwhile have used their lands for massive installation of turbines, which at energy prices of 33 dollar cent per kwh is far more lucrative than using it for cows only. Not that the turbines hinder the cows in any way.
Makati1 on Sat, 21st Dec 2013 1:34 pm
30 years is dreaming in today’s world Arthur. Five years maybe without major repairs. You take the sales propaganda as gospel, when it is BS. Few, if any wind towers have been in continuous operation for more than 10 years. Certainly not for 30. Even solar panel systems are not likely to go more than 5-8 years without maintenance and replacements.
As for your ludicrous statement that towers may last 100 years. Yes, the weather eroded concrete may still be there, but the functionality will be ancient history.
You appear to be just another denier, hoping that your world will not disappear before you die of old age around 55.
Arthur on Sat, 21st Dec 2013 3:35 pm
Few, if any wind towers have been in continuous operation for more than 10 years. Certainly not for 30.
The oldest still functioning windmill in the Netherlands dates from 1620:
http://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doesburgermolen
Besides, the vast majority of wind turbines have been build over the last ten years. Sure, maintenance is necessary and parts wear out, but the tower does not. I am not aware of significant number wind turbines being destroyed, just like most computers I bought did not replace old ones becoming dysfunctional. In the West people usually replace their cars after 10-15 years, while a short visit to Havana/Cuba would show that in reality cars can function for 60 years.
Even solar panel systems are not likely to go more than 5-8 years without maintenance and replacements.
There is nothing to maintain about solar panels, apart from regularly dusting them off, provided you do not live in Holland.lol
deepresource . wordpress . com/2012/09/28/low-degredation-of-solar-cells-over-time/
You appear to be just another denier, hoping that your world will not disappear before you die of old age around 55.
I am already passed that age and still alive and kicking. And indeed not member of a doomer cult.
Makati1 on Sat, 21st Dec 2013 4:10 pm
If you cannot get parts, it is junk. You assume that they will be available. I doubt it very much. The factories will close when oil goes away/becomes too expensive.
If you are past 55, you are lucky, you may just live long enough to see the end of the age of petroleum and the beginning of the Middle Ages part 2. Your kids and grand kids certainly will.
Makati1 on Sat, 21st Dec 2013 4:14 pm
PV panels are tied to power converter electronics that makes them useable. That is what will break down and become unavailable. As will the batteries. And hail storms will take out the panels eventually.