Co-op chief: People can produce most of their energy themselves

(EurActiv, 28 Sep 2016) Half of Europeans could have solar panels on their roofs by 2050 and be self-sufficient when it comes to their energy needs. And the trend won’t stop there as small-scale energy cooperatives bring in eight times more revenue to local authorities than big utilities, argues Dirk Vansintjan.

Dirk Vansintjan is President of the European Federation for Renewable Energy Cooperatives (REScoop.eu). He spoke to EurActiv.com’s publisher and editor, Frédéric Simon.

What is the current situation now across Europe for energy cooperatives?

Several member states have introduced a favourable framework for citizens to take up an active role in the energy transition.  In Germany, 800 energy cooperatives have popped up in the last ten years, in the Netherlands it is going very fast too, there are now hundreds of them.

And this is due to favourable frameworks from governments. So now, if the directives are revised at European level, for example the Renewable Energy Directive, it is quite evident that the European Commission should make way for citizens and their initiatives.

From the experience of those countries, what were the main motives for encouraging energy cooperatives?

If you look at Germany, for instance, there was a favourable feed-in tariff which made it profitable to invest. And Germans trusted their governments not to impose retroactive measures to cut profits. So in countries where trust was combined with a favourable framework for citizens and their initiatives, the citizens really took action and invested in the energy transition.

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EurActiv, 28 Sep 2016: Co-op chief: People can produce most of their energy themselves