Inspiring Examples and Best Practices

About

In Thessaly, the energy community of Karditsa (ESEK) is active in the exploitation of biomass from forest and agricultural residues (with strict environmental criteria) and wood processing residues and constitutes one of the first and most successful ventures with more than 300 members.

Mission

ESEK aims to contribute to the region’s democratisation of energy and the use of renewable energy sources by utilising the area’s significant potential of residual biomass that stems from agricultural, forestry and wood processing activities as well as urban sources.

Activities

Since 2017 ESEK has operated a pellet factory that processes residual biomass into 1,200 tons of pellets annually. The biomass is composed of forest residues, agricultural residues, urban tree prunings, etc. coming from the Karditsa region. ESEK has created a value chain that benefits biomass suppliers, transporters, and local citizens.

The pellets produced are used for heating or cooling and its 350 members enjoy the benefit of acquiring these pellets at a reduced price, creating a localised and sustainable energy solution.

In 2022, in the framework of the BECoop project funded by Horizon 2020, ESEK started using residual coffee grounds to produce pellets. To implement this idea, the energy community, in cooperation with the non-profit organisation InCommOn, created a system to collect coffee waste in dedicated bins used by citizens and local coffee houses.

ESEK also collaborated with the municipality of Karditsa to install a biomass boiler fuelled by coffee pellets in a local kindergarten. This new boiler replaced an old oil boiler, meeting the building’s heat demand at a lower cost and with reduced environmental impact. In the future, they plan to extend the initiative to other schools.

ESEK is also in the process of developing a 1.2MW PV park to cover the electricity needs of members through the process of virtual net metering.

Distinctive Good Practice

Awareness raising and interventions in schools. ESEK has managed to create a local ecosystem of actors (municipal authorities, citizens, small and medium-sized enterprises, and other initiatives) that, cooperating, utilise the local wealth and produce their energy proving that Energy Communities can be a great ally for local and Regional Authorities.

Benefits to Participating individuals

ESEK’s 350 members enjoy the benefit of acquiring these pellets at a reduced price, and will be consuming the energy produced by the community’s PV park, creating a localised and sustainable energy solution.

Media:

• Energy Community Of Karditsa (ESEK)
• For photos