8 May 2018, Brussels – REScoop.eu , the European federation for renewable energy cooperatives representing approximately 1,500 European energy cooperatives and 1 million energy citizens in Europe, has joined the Small is Beautiful campaign to support small scale renewable and high efficiency co-generation installations in Europe, which are currently under threat in the Clean Energy Package negotiations.

Dirk Vanstinjan, President of REScoop.eu said “Citizens and energy communities represent a different type of market actor. Treating them identical to sophisticated and larger energy companies would not only amount to discrimination, it would unfairly prevent them from investing in Europe’s energy transition. In order to get a fair deal from the market design, consumers need to be able to benefit from their participation in the market.”

Aurelie Beauvais, Policy Director of SolarPower Europe commented “The EU wants a consumer-driven energy transition, but with Member States proposing harmful changes to regulations on small-scale renewable installations , we risk taking away citizens ability to participate in the energy transition. This simply makes no sense, we cannot impose an unreasonable burden on consumers who have invested in small renewables installations on homes and businesses.”

James Watson, CEO of SolarPower Europe stated “Citizens and communities are the backbone of the energy transition, that’s why we are delighted to have REScoop.eu, a European leader in developing self-consumption models for energy communities across Europe, backing our campaign to protect small-scale renewable installations.”

About Small is Beautiful

Small is Beautiful is a campaign to support small-scale renewable installations and cogeneration facilities in the EU. The aim of the campaign is to safeguard regulatory incentives such as priority dispatch, for small-scale installations, currently under debate in the Clean Energy Package negotiations. This campaign is led by 15 trade associations including SolarPower Europe, AEBIOM, AIE, COGEN EUROPE, EBA (European Biogas Association), EGEC Geothermal, Energy Cities, EPHA (European Heat Pump Association), EREF (European Renewable Energies Federation), EUREC, Euroheat & Power, OceanEnergy Europe, REScoop.eu, SolarHeat Europe and WindEurope.

About REScoop.eu

REScoop is the European federation for renewable energy cooperatives. We are a growing network of 1,500 European REScoops and their 1,000,000 citizens who are active in the energy transition. Our members produce and supply renewable energy, operate distribution networks, perform energy efficiency, perform aggregation, engage in energy sharing, and provide electric car-sharing.

For more information Josh Roberts - Advocacy Officer

T: +32 493 400 933 Email: josh.roberts@rescoop.eu

About SolarPower Europe

SolarPower Europe is a member-led association representing organisations active along the whole value chain. Our aim is to shape the regulatory environment and enhance business opportunities for solar power in Europe.

For more information Kristina Thoring - Senior Political Communications Advisor

T: +32 2 709 55 26 Email: k.thoring@solarpowereurope.org