The Energy Transition in Gipuzkoa: The Strategic Role of Energy Communities’. A more just, participatory and competitive transition

The energy transition is a strategic challenge: to progress in decarbonisation and reduce external dependency, while bolstering competitiveness and guaranteeing that its benefits reach the citizens. Gipuzkoa has addressed this challenge by means of a new energy culture based on efficiency, renewables and self-consumption, with energy communities as an instrument for territorial participation and transformation.

The speaker will present the model and its evolution from the early initiatives to a network of industrial and citizen communities. An experience that connects climate action with savings and local decision-making capacity.

What an energy community is, who can participate and its organisation will be explained. Voluntary and open participation, autonomy and the effective control by its members are fundamental aspects of governance aimed at generating social, economic and environmental benefits. Cooperative and associative formulas will be addressed, along with the role of local councils in promoting projects, allocating roof space and participation in the communities.

Collective self-consumption allows the production of nearby renewable facilities to be shared. Their operating will be analysed, together with the relationship between energy generation, consumption and distribution, which are essential to make the most of the facilities and optimise the electricity bill.

Financial and in-kind support facilitate investments and access by small municipalities. The Gipuzkoa Energy Transition Office offers free and independent advice, help with setting up and managing the communities, and training and sharing experiences. It provides monitoring to know the production and self-consumption, detect failures and improve efficiency.

The speaker will end by considering the expansion of services to storage, charging and shared electric mobility. The Gipuzkoa experience shows how energy communities can help to democratise access to renewables and reduce energy vulnerability. Its strategic value lies in converting energy in a cohesion and local autonomy tool, linking decarbonisation with wellbeing and the competitiveness of the territory.