Public entities can also drive the energy transition in their municipalities. A clear example is the Fornes Town Hall, which, thanks to the installation of solar panels on several public roofs, has allowed its residents to consume clean and local energy without touching their own rooftops.
Through a 58 kWp installation, families and businesses in this Granada municipality, located within a 2-kilometer radius, can participate in self-consumption, saving on their electricity bills without any construction or wiring.
In summary:
- The Fornes Town Hall has installed 58 kWp on various public rooftops in the municipality.
- The project involved 7 public supply points and 40 residents.
- The Town Hall will achieve an annual savings of approximately €2,500 on its bill.
- Residents can save between 20% and 60% on their electricity bills.
How do Municipal Energy Communities work?
Beyond the installation of solar panels, at Vergy, we take care of designing and promoting the Community. We work across all stages of the project, from design to managing legal and administrative aspects.
However, when it comes to launching the Community, the process is as follows:
- We install solar panels on municipal rooftops. The initial investment for the project is made by the City Council.
- The generated energy is distributed between the City Council and its citizens, who pay an annual fee for their allocated energy.
- The City Council establishes the governance model for admitting Community members.
- At Vergy, we handle the design, implementation, and management of the Community, so you don’t have to worry about its execution and operation. The
Fornes City Council, responsible for the initial investment in the project, has disbursed over €60,000 to enable its residents to enjoy the benefits of solar energy in their homes and businesses. As the installation owner, the council has established a fee for the allocated energy. Each member will pay between €6 and €12 per month, depending on the acquired power capacity. The Community, which already includes 7 public supply points and 40 residents, including families, businesses, and individuals, Will generate an annual savings of €2,500 for the City Council and reducing each resident’s electricity bill by 20% to 60%.
Energy Community Updates
The installation in Fornes is complete. Over the past few months, we have been working on the public tender launched to the citizens on March 1st, allowing them to acquire energy through a fee system. Currently, all the energy is allocated between the supply points of the City Council and the residents of Fornes. We anticipate that in April, the local distributor, Cuerva Energía, along with the community members’ suppliers, will activate self-consumption on users’ bills, enabling them to start saving. If all goes as planned, the Fornes Community will be fully operational within a maximum of two months.
Conclusion
It has been a long and challenging journey, as working with public administrations is not easy. However, the Fornes City Council and its residents have wholeheartedly embraced this project, supporting it from the outset, and now they will reap the rewards. At Vergy, we will continue to work on coordinating and overseeing the activation of Community members, providing support to the community, managing member entry and exit, and ensuring the smooth operation and maintenance of the installation.