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REScoop.eu AGM 2020
Our Annual General Meeting had to be moved online this year due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Even though we really missed the personal interaction with our members which normally comes with these meetings, we are glad that we were able to hold a successful AGM despite current circumstances.
A new look & feel for REScoop.eu
The AGM started with the introduction of our new logo, which is part of a change in REScoop.eu’s visual identity. A new website will be launched in autumn to complete this exercise. In the meantime, you can read more about the new logo and why we changed it here.
Following some formalities and a first round of votes, we moved to an overview of REScoop.eu’s activities in 2019 and 2020.
REScoop.eu advocacy 2019
“Transition” is the word which in our view best summarises 2019 – transition to a post-Clean Energy Package world, and the beginning of the transposition process of the new definitions in EU Member States. We further worked on NECPs, the Multiannual Financial Framework (EU budget), the LIFE programme, the EU elections and engagement with the newly elected EU representatives, as well as state-aid guidelines.
REScoop.eu collaborated with numerous partners: Community Power Coalition, Cooperatives Europe, Coalition for Energy Savings, Bridge, and SolarPower Europe (SmallIsBeautiful campaign).
Main publications from 2019 included
- a REScoop.eu Manifesto
- NECPs assessment in collaboration with Frankfurt an der Oder University
- “Unleashing the Power” with Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth Europe, and Energy Cities;
- a Q&A on Energy Communities (as the basis for a longer document still in progress)
- a Consultation on State-aid Guidelines (SAGL)
- Contributions in legal journals and exchanges with public authorities
The Green New Deal will frame our work ahead.
EU projects REScoop.eu worked on in 2019
Part of our activities – and a large part of our revenues – are European projects. In 2019, we worked on
- REScoop MECISE triggered an investment of over 1 M€ with 6 cooperatives, and set up a mutual to facilitate the financing of cooperatives project across Europe, with the first investment happening in 2019.
- REScoop PLUS gathered and spread best practices on how our cooperatives can realize energy savings
- WiseGRID, which helps cooperatives test smart grid technologies, is finishing up this year.
- FLEXCoop and REScoopVPP introduce demand response to REScoops
- COMPILE deals with energy islands (i.e. microgrids).
- 2 Interreg projects ECCO and cVPP are finishing up, capitalisation of these projects has been secured for the 2 coming years.
- The Clean Energy for EU Islands Secretariat supports islands in their energy transition, starting from the local community. The Secretariat is a service contract with the Commission, and is operated by Climate Alliance, 3E and REScoop.eu
REScoop.eu events & communications
REScoop.eu participated in more than 100 events in 12 countries in 2019 as well as at EU level, reaching more than 8 000 people. On top of participating in a number of campaigns in the context of the European Elections, our social media, newsletter and website followership grew significantly in the past year.
Following an overview and voting on the board’s activities and the accounts of 2019, we shared an outlook on the year 2020 for REScoop.eu.
Looking forward to 2020
REScoop.eu will continue to work on EU projects in 2020. In addition to the ongoing projects, we won three new projects (One Net, COME RES and REScoopVPP), and will participate in the capitalization of the Interreg projects ECCO and cVPP. We will further work on collective home renovation, transposition of the Clean Energy Package, and a toolbox through a European Climate Foundation grant.
Following the presentation of and voting on the budget and membership fees, this year’s AGM closed with the
Announcement of the next AGM in Copenhagen.
The next REScoop.eu AGM will take place in Copenhagen on 22-24 April 2021 and will be co-organised by the City of Copenhagen, Middelgrunden cooperative and other grassroots associations. The 2 full days-event will include exchange of best practice, workshop, visit to local initiatives, experience from EU countries, presentations, workshop on RECs and CECs.
Next year’s AGM will also see the elections of the new REScoop.eu board.