Technical Aspects (Technicalities)

How to choose energy sources

When an Energy Community is looking to develop an energy project, a key step is the assessment of the available local resources and energy potential to identify solutions that are the most suitable for the location’s specific characteristics. This assessment can happen through the collaboration of EC members and consultants/ specialists in this area (in the case that this skill doesn’t exist within the EC).

You can start with one type of technology and add others at a later stage.

Key considerations when developing community projects

1. Understand the needs and prioritizing: Exploring solutions begins and ends with the members of the community.
2. High tech, low tech or a combination?: Sometimes the smartest, environmentally and financially sustainable solutions can be the simplest. By deploying high-tech solutions without ensuring the community’s capacity to maintain its efficient function, we risk the failure of the project.
3. What happens after?: Make sure to plan for all stages including planning, installation and maintenance.

Technical considerations when selecting energy sources and technologies

• Desired final output: What do you need your system to deliver? Heat, Biofuel, Electricity? How much?
• Availability of input resources: The location you choose will have an impact on production. Depending on the natural but also regulatory context, the best resource might be solar, wind, biomass, hydropower, geothermal power, or a mix of those. Make sure to ask: Is this resource available where and when I need it?
  For example, when designing a solar energy system, factors such as solar radiation (quality & quantity), local topography, orientation and shading obstacles of the implementation site need to be known and assessed. Even though as a resource it is infinite and renewable, it has variable properties. Its availability is different for different places at different times. These are circumstances that we humans cannot control. These factors that affect the availability, quality and quantity of solar energy affect the way that we input energy and design systems, applications and devices.
• Permits and legal obligations: Permits can pose a significant roadblock for your project. Make sure to check with your local authorities about any restrictions and processes you need to account for and take action in advance.
• Supply and Distribution: How does the energy produced reach the beneficiaries?
• Safety & ease of use.
• Cost (including maintenance).
• Social & Environmental Impact.
• Efficiency.

TIP: Don’t hesitate to ask for advice. Sometimes, even if the people you reach out to don’t know the answer they can help you figure things out together. Check out if there are nearby community energy groups you could speak to for advice and have a look at the Support System Aspect of this Guide.

EXAMPLES:

• Coopernico (Portugal): One way that the cooperative works is that it rents the roofs of socially-orientated institutions for its PV projects, providing those institutions with extra income. At the end of the lease, the co-operative will offer the solar apparatus to the hosting institutions for free. The energy produced on these rooftops is fed into the grid and bought by the distributor at a fixed price. Coopérnico is also active in the retail sector, which means that they can directly sell electricity to their members at a fair price, guaranteeing that the amount of electricity produced by Coopérnico’s projects is more than the one consumed by its members. This is part of what has allowed them to become very successful.
• Som Energia (Spain) built its solar installations and worked on new renewable production projects with its local groups. The goal was to produce enough electricity to meet 100% of the members’ consumption. Consumers supplied by Som Energia are not just customers but co-owners of the cooperative, who participate in decision-making. They can also invest directly in the development of renewable energy. Som Energia combines the cooperative model, people’s commitment and renewable energy generation in an inspiring way, offering every person in Spain the chance to participate in the transition and invest directly in renewable projects to develop a sustainable economy, a growing grassroots demand.