Stories
Success story — The pride of the neighbourhood: the transformative power of community energy
Community energy is key to action on the climate crisis. It can empower people, boost local economies, and reinvigorate communities. Community-led initiatives play an important role in the transition towards a 100% renewable and just energy future. Success stories of community energy projects can be found all over Europe. At REScoop.eu, we want to highlight these stories to further accelerate the movement towards a cleaner and democratic system.
This month we travel to Zaragoza, Spain, where an energy community in the neighbourhood of Oliver is transforming more than just the energy system. Through an original community building approach, it empowers residents, creates a new sense of pride in the area, and advances both social and environmental justice.
In 2023, during the traditional Castañada, an autumn festival celebrated in the Oliver neighbourhood of Zaragoza, a new citizen energy initiative was announced: Oliver Energy Community. Last August, it completed its first project: 72 solar panels installed on the roof of the local church to power 56 homes, five organisations, and the church itself. The system is now in the final stages of connection and commissioning, which should be completed by the end of February.
The original idea was conceived by Ecodes, a Spanish organisation that works on the links between social and environmental justice. They wanted to explore community solar projects as a new tool to tackle energy poverty, and in 2023, an award enabled them to fund their idea.
A transformational vision
From the start, Oliver Energy Community had ambitious objectives: empower residents, build community, co-create a sustainable energy culture, and fight energy poverty. Carlos Pesqué, coordinator of the energy communities department in Ecodes, summarised the vision: “We wanted to show that energy communities are more than a group of people sharing energy: they are spaces that can promote social change, citizen participation and social cohesion.”
Ecodes wanted to create an inspiring model to set an example for other emerging initiatives and flip the narrative in a context where the neighbourhood has one of the highest social exclusion rates in the city.
Oliver Energy Community wanted to show the resilience and creativity people can demonstrate to tackle local challenges. And their efforts have paid off: Carlos told us, “When there are positive articles about Oliver in the local press, you can see the residents’ pride.” Plurality and participation are central values for the initiative, and its dual membership format allows everyone to join: ‘collaborative members’ support the organisation’s work and vote on its decisions, while ‘interested members’ can also benefit from the energy generation.
A project reflecting its vibrant community
From the start, Oliver Energy Community was designed from the bottom up, involving a plurality of actors in the neighbourhood. The project benefited from the strength of three local cooperatives, which supported the project through community building, technical and governance aspects, and communications efforts.
The initial working group also involved an unusual suspect: the local parish of San Pedro Apóstol. “We knew that Jaime, the priest, cared about the residents, and wanted to foster well-being and community. And we knew the roof of the church was ideal for solar rooftop generation”, Carlos said. Discussions with the parish were fruitful and played a big role in the project’s success. Since the project took off, it is also inspiring other initiatives in the area: “Many people ask us about this collaboration, because modern church rooftops are often perfect locations for solar panels”, Carlos explained.
The Down Foundation, an important association in the neighbourhood working with residents living with the syndrome, was also involved since the beginning. Carlos explained: “We realised how present they were in the area, involving them was important for the project’s success”. The organisation was closely associated with many important milestones, it organised a contest to create the logo, and postering events to promote the project in the area.
Public communications activities, like neighbourhood fiestas and children's workshops in parks, were also organised regularly to connect with residents, with great success.
A year on, Oliver boasts 62 members and is becoming a platform connecting neighbours from different cultures, religions and backgrounds. “Bringing people together was maybe the most challenging aspect for us, but it’s also one of the most rewarding outcomes,” Carlos told us.
Tackling energy poverty
Tackling energy poverty was a key focus of the energy community, as many of Oliver’s residents struggle with energy bills. The new solar plant helps stabilise the prices of electricity for residents, and reduces the average bill by around 30%: members pay 42 euros annually to save between 130 and 180 euros. Members are also considering investments to improve the insulation of homes, as most buildings in the neighbourhood are old and difficult to heat during the harsh winters of the region.
The energy community also addresses energy poverty through complementary approaches, providing administrative support to families to help them claim public subsidies, and organising energy awareness workshops, where people can learn new skills to reduce their consumption.
Many similar initiatives inspired the members of Oliver Energy Community, including the SolarForAll project in New York, which provides free solar energy to residents without paying upfront costs. The Torreblanca Ilumina Energy Community was another source of inspiration: operating in one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Spain, the project provides people affected by energy poverty with renewable energy to reduce their electricity bills.
Looking to the future
Oliver’s success is already fueling ideas and plans for the future, including energy efficiency improvements, battery storage and shared electric mobility. The group is creative, and energy isn’t lacking. “Our energy community has shown that collaboration is the key to a fair energy transition,” Carlos told us. “We hope we can inspire others to follow suit”. The momentum is there: in the region of Aragon alone, 25 other energy projects are in the making.
