Install a photovoltaic system on the roof or on the balcony of own home it is a wise choice for those who want to produce their own clean energy, saving on their bills.
But this solution is not so simple for everyone: first of all, you need to own a house, then everyone who is for rent they are cut off from this possibility. You then have to deal with tedious things condominium meetingsfollow the installation process, which takes a long time and finally deal with the unforeseen expenses for any malfunctions or damage, for example due to hail.
An interesting option for those who still want to produce their own energy with a photovoltaic system are the energy cooperativeswhich are becoming increasingly popular. But what exactly are energy cooperatives? And how to be part of it?
How energy cooperatives work and who can be part of them
A energy cooperative it is an organization in which members, who can be private citizens, small companies or organisations, come together to produce energy collectively.
In fact, each member of the cooperative puts in one or more shares to purchase “at a distance” a portion, more or less large, of a photovoltaic system, which is not physically located near your home or business. All members of the cooperative then produce their own energy. The cooperative then manages the excess energy and distributes the revenues to the members. In this way, there are no burdensome tasks of a bureaucratic or managerial nature that fall on the members.
It is worth underlining that, since these are private cooperatives, each has its own business plan And operating modesbut they all share the objective of making members not only consumers, but also producers of energy.
The main objective of the energy cooperative is to promote the use of renewable energy and allow members to access clean energy at reduced costs.
Clearly, this solution is viable both for those who rent and for those who, for example, have little space in the roof of their condominium or want to avoid condominium meetings.
How do you join an energy cooperative?
We have seen that remote photovoltaics allows you to purchase shares of remote photovoltaic systems.
But how do you do it? join of an energy cooperative?
There are realities that deal with developing energy cooperatives, retaining a technical cost: they take care of gathering members, collect the funds, identify the suitable place for the system, obtain the necessary authorizations, install the photovoltaic panels and connect the system to the electricity grid.
The cooperative takes care of the overall management: this includes plant design, monitoring, maintenance and insurance against damage or breakdowns. In short, the cooperative takes care of all the activities necessary to guarantee the efficient functioning of the plants, relieving members of any technical task.
How much does it cost to be part of an energy cooperative?
When you decide to invest in an energy cooperative, lamount to invest depends on your energy consumption. For example, if the annual consumption is 2,500 kilowatt hoursthere are nine quotas that are needed for total coverage of the investment, with a total cost of 9,000 euros for the entire system. However, it is not necessary to purchase all the shares: you can choose to invest in a single share or multiple shares, according to your possibilities.
By joining the cooperative from day one, members get a advantageous rate for the energy consumed. When the plant begins to produce, the members also become, as we have seen, producers: they can use part of the energy produced and then the cooperative takes care of sell excess energythus obtaining economic savings. Every year, a part of the initial investment is recovered thanks to the savings and revenues generated from the sale of energy. For example, an investment of 1,000 euros for a fee can bring, over the course of 20 years, returning approx 1,360 euros.
However, it is possible to do one expense forecast detailed directly on the WeForGreen Energy Cooperative website.
