Year of the beginning

The first speaker was Aitana Etxeberria, who, in addition to the meetings, talks and training sessions that have been held around last year, discussed the group reflection. He explained that the community is currently divided into three subgroups; a legal group that is deciding how to give the group and taking steps in the constitution of the cooperative, a group of projects and a communication group.

Etxeberria explained community objectives, deepened energy awareness and empowerment, ensured energy efficiency and sustainable mobility, reduce energy consumption and seek technological and socio-political solutions and energy sovereignty, among others.

He also talked about the energy transition, and stressed that to ensure this, a reflection and a community created “in the ascending sense” is necessary. He pointed out that objectives will not be achieved by themselves, that work and initiatives will be needed and that active citizenship added.

Projects by Arroa Behekoa, Aizarna and Zestoa

Iñaki Odriozola, a member of the project team, then took the floor. Odriozola mentioned the study of public roofs made by Goiener with municipal authorization. On the basis of these, and taking into account that the construction of the sports roofing was delayed, the projects for the construction of the two installations in the fronton of Aizarna and in the school roofs of Arroabe were analyzed. Presentations were also made in these two neighborhoods and some interested neighbors have electricity bills to analyze consumption habits.

The projects shall be open to neighbours who enter within a radius of two kilometres from the locations where the facilities are carried out and the equipment which presented a map image of three circumferences taking into account that of the sports club. They explained that based on this it deals almost the entire surface of Zestoa.

As for collective self-consumption, Odriozola talked about efficiency. He talked about the advantages of economic investment among many and the possibilities of reducing energy surplus among those who have different consumption habits.

In the process of setting up the cooperative

Manuel Arrangi explained the steps taken by the legal group. After several consultations, he said it was agreed that the most appropriate form was the cooperative, as it offered the possibility to host different types of partners and participants. It's a nonprofit society. For the time being, Aizarna, Arroa and Zestoa are the promoters of the same 15 neighbours of Arroa and Zestoa, the first leaders being celebrated; the Constituent Assembly constituted by the Governing Council, the Statutes approved…

Bazkidetza campaign

The cooperative is expected to be a short space of time and the community has already launched a partner campaign. The Cooperative’s membership fee shall be EUR 10 once. The wide variety of partners was also highlighted: simple citizens, merchants, institutions, companies… Once partners can participate and give their opinions at meetings.

Community members who also communicated a link to become partners and a contact can get more information by writing to argiola@ni.eus and entering labur.eus/argiola-bazkidetza on the table outside after the presentation.