Technical Aspects (Technicalities)

Energy Supply

More and more energy communities chose to operate as an energy supplier. There are different ways to do this: some initiatives produce their electricity and sell it to their clients, and some buy and aggregate renewable energy from other producers for their members.

Becoming a cooperative energy supplier comes with its challenges, linked to regulations, the influence of established market actors, and financial limitations, among others. Don’t despair if your community hits a hurdle. It’s completely normal, and with the help of other cooperatives, you’ll find a solution!

EXAMPLES:

• Coopérnico (Portugal) is the first cooperative energy producer and supplier in Portugal supplying energy to members and clients from their own RE projects. So far, the cooperative has nearly 800 clients. Similar business models have been put forward by many other energy cooperatives.
• Enostra (Italy) produces and purchases energy from renewable energy plants, favouring production companies linked to local communities, promoting the growth of the share of energy from renewable sources in the national energy mix and then supplying it to its members and clients.