An energy cooperative allows citizens to meet their energy needs (both individual and common). Such needs can be varied – among the simplest examples for which cooperatives can be created are the following:
- provision of electricity, heat, and fuel (wholesale purchase of firewood, pellets, gasoline);
- providing energy efficiency related services (procurement of energy auditor services, home warming services or facilities);
- electricity production from almost any energy source;
- heat production (both for members of the cooperative individually and in projects of creating heating systems for individual streets or districts in villages and towns);
- financing the acquisition by members of the cooperative of energy installations (boilers, batteries, solar panels, etc.).
Energy cooperatives are widespread in the world, but they are virtually nonexistent in Ukraine. There is legislation in Ukraine that encourages cooperatives, in particular agricultural cooperatives, but there is no legislation that regulates the activities of energy cooperatives. Therefore, practically all existing energy cooperative initiatives in Ukraine are based on agricultural cooperatives.
Aim: To study the legal aspects of the activity of energy cooperatives in Ukraine and to promote this idea in local communities.
Project area: Uzhhorod – village. Slavske (Lviv region) – the village. Lower Village (Khust district of Transcarpathia).
Results:
- The legal aspects of the activity of energy cooperatives in Ukraine were investigated and a report was made.
- A seminar on energy cooperatives was held for 23 representatives of NGOs and Associations working in the field of sustainable energy, agricultural cooperatives and representatives of local communities.
- A study visit to the community of the Lower Village in Transcarpathia to study the experience of implementing public initiatives, work of the agricultural cooperative “Village estate” and initiatives for the development of energy ideas: biogas production on the basis of a cooperative livestock farm and electricity production.
- An information campaign on the principles of cooperation in the sector of sustainable energy and RES development was carried out.
The project has created a MULTIFILM about the importance of developing renewable energy sources and integrating them into energy cooperatives – see here.
Partners: EU, WECF (Germany), NGO Ecoclub (Rivne).
