UPV/EHU has initiated the implementation of citizen energy community (CEC) models based on the experience of the quadruple helix in smart grids and energy communities in collaboration with oPEN Lab partners PAMPL and CENER as well as the citizens of Pamplona. In Pamplona, these partners will set up a CEC shared self-consumption, where the resident population takes the leading role, going from being simple renewable energy customers to prosumers and possessing the capacity to making decisions on the use of the economic benefits generated which are reverted in community. This initiative, which can be replicated and scaled up, will act as a driving force for the creation of other CECs that contribute to the development of PENs.
To fulfill this task, the partners of the Pamplona Living Lab have created a Task Force to prepare the launch of the Energy Community in 2022. The Task Force has already met in three sessions between may and September to prepare the initial model of the CEL. On 15 November 2022, this model was presented to the citizens of the Rochapea neighbourhood as a proposal. In this session, 143 participants were gathered to discuss the proposal making it a great success.
What are the next steps?
- A core group of active citizens will be created, which can lead the process with the support of Pamplona’s Task Force.
- Three participatory sessions will be organised in the first quarter of 2023.
- Goal: the CEC shall be established within one year.
