Developing citizen photovoltaic projects

It's possible to share free energy with low-income households!

The Centrales Villageoises du Trièves are taking another step forward in their fight against fuel poverty. After equipping precarious households with second-hand photovoltaic panels free of charge last January, the collective is launching a new experiment. The aim? To offer low-income households green, local and free energy. 

An innovative experiment: Solidarity Collective Self-Consumption

The collective, which brings together citizens, local authorities and businesses to carry out actions in favor of the energy transition, has taken a new step in its fight against fuel poverty. The local company is embarking on an innovative experiment: Autoconsommation Collective Solidaire (ACS).

This involves sharing the green electricity generated by the photovoltaic panels of private individuals who have no surplus valuation with precarious households, locally and free of charge.

In practical terms, when the electricity generated by photovoltaic panels exceeds consumption, the surplus energy is usually sold to the grid. Here, the idea is to distribute this surplus directly to neighboring families in fuel poverty through local solidarity loops.

3, 2, 1, go!

The experiment will start in early summer with some 15 volunteer producers, for a total production of 30kWp. The surplus energy will benefit twenty families identified by the local social services and social economy companies. The aim is to reduce their electricity bills by €250 a year.

Centrales Villageoises wins EUSEW Award
 

Tuesday June 11, Centrales Villageoises were announced winners of the European Local Action for Energy Award on the stage of the European Commission in Brussels.Handed over by the European Commissioner for Energy, the award recognizes sustainable energy initiatives by citizens' groups, local authorities and other stakeholders, who are working towards the transition to clean energy at local or community level.

Citizen energy in the spotlight...
 

The awards ceremony took place at the opening of European Sustainable Energy Week (EUSEW Week), the biggest annual event dedicated to renewable energy in Europe.

This prestigious award is a true European recognition of the efforts made by all the citizens involved in Centrales Villageoises, as well as the local municipalities and businesses that support these initiatives. Well done to all!

... And an opportunity to send out a strong message!
 

This award was also an opportunity for the association to bring citizen energy to the forefront of the European stage, and to remind people how much European regulation on energy communities can be a real lever for citizen action if accompanied by support schemes.

Citizen energy enables citizens to take back ownership of their energy future, and Europe has a crucial role to play in facilitating this involvement!