Inspiring Examples and Best Practices

About

CommonEn is a non-profit energy community established in June 2021 in the city of Ioannina, Greece. It has two solar parks with a total capacity production of 199,73 kW.

Mission

CommonEn aims to promote energy democracy and the social and solidarity economy in the energy sector, de-escalate energy production, tackle energy poverty and make sustainable use of local energy resources.

Activities

CommonEn has two solar PV parks under operation with a production capacity of 100 kWp each. The energy produced is supplied to its members through a virtual net metering system. Moreover, the community is working on the development of energy-saving services and the renovation of a traditional watermill to produce electricity.

Other than the production of clean energy for self-consumption the community is also exploring activities in energy storage and demand-side management, sustainable mobility, energy saving, consulting and awareness raizing activities.

Distinctive Good Practice

In 2023 members of CommonEn received negative electricity bills for the first time through their collective net metering project becoming the first energy community in mainland Greece to do so.

Barriers & How they were addressed

After the community’s park was up and running, beneficiaries had to rely on electricity suppliers to apply the virtual net-metering contracts and distribute energy to their households and businesses. As the supplier was failing to do so, the community with the support of other environmental groups and communities brought this topic into the public lens prompting parliamentary intervention.

Benefits to Participating individuals

CommonEn provides benefits to its members, which are mainly households and local businesses who beyond receiving the financial benefits of the community’s virtual net metering scheme are becoming more independent of the energy market and are contributing to the de-carbonization of their region.