On Monday, the first energy community in Oarsoaldea, Irun and Hondarribia was presented publicly. There is no doubt that Jakin's pain was awakened, because the Niessen auditorium was full of head to receive the news of Ekiherria firsthand. Nora Barroso, a member of the new community, led the presentation and thanked the attendees for joining the event. It was the turn of the video composed of citizens already part of the Ekiherri community. To disseminate the video, the face is known, as the first words are by Luis Moreno Pirata. The musician clearly states in him “we are committed to energy sovereignty”. Those who live in a living, proactive, hardworking and creative people and want to live independently to own their future explained it yesterday in their appearance, just as energetically.

Along with the familiar faces, the unknown ones, because Ekiherria is made up of “citizens”, “we are neighbours of the community, we want a better world and for that we want renewable energy. We know where we came from, we know where we are and we also know where we want to go.”

They dreamed of energy sovereignty, a dream that has landed through the Ekiherri Energy Community.

One year road

Renteria-Orereta's neighbours, concerned about the energy crisis, began to join Renteria-Orereta's neighbours, who began their journey a year ago. On the 16th day the Ekiherri Energy Community was founded, “with a large number of parents, and we hope that the family will continue to grow, that is our goal.”

Niko Bengoetxea, Sustainability Technician of the City Council, made known the way the municipality traveled in energy matters. First, he explained what community energy is, “it is a legal entity whose social object and which brings environmental, socioeconomic and social benefits to the municipality. It also offers energy advice and related services.” The City Hall then explained the tour. In 2012 the City Council adhered to the Covenant of Mayors, assuming the targets set for 2020. Among them, the reduction of energy consumption by 20%, the implementation of renewable energies by 20% and the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions by 20%, “the city approved in 2015 an action plan to achieve them, the data of which were based in 2007”.

In 2015, the City Council joined the United Nations Compact of Mayors initiative. Despite the reduction in emissions, climate change has been proven to have its consequences and the initiative involved the development of a climate change adaptation plan. As a result of this commitment, the city approved in 2019 an action plan for adaptation to climate change. Reducing energy and gas emissions and planning for adaptation to climate change took a third step, Bengoetxea explained, “and in 2021 he committed to making that transition to adaptation fair. On this basis, an action plan was created to ensure a sustainable climate and energy by 2022.”

In addition, the City Hall should reduce municipal consumption by 30% by 2030 and 32% renewable energy in municipal buildings, “for this we need roofs”. The 2020 action plan aimed at a 20% reduction, “and until 2019 we achieved a 16% reduction in gas emissions. This cut is from all the people, and the whole community is involved in achieving the goal. We have achieved this in part. The current energy consumption is 500,000 megawatts per year. If we have renewables, but not enough, we have 5,000 megawatts per hour per year. In some things, therefore, we walk on legs, in others we have done quite a lot.”

It adds that the action plans have been implemented as a city council and results have been achieved. In 2007, gas emissions were reduced by 70% by 2020, “so that this is how we have acquired green energy, which has helped us. The results are positive.” Another data provided by Bengoetxea is that “the sustainable energy action plan aims to reduce gas emissions by 55% by 2030 in the city. This means that if we do nothing we will decrease, but we have to make important changes to comply and for this the energy community is an important step.”

Building an energy community within the municipal action plan

The creation of the energy community was included in the municipal action plan. To this end, the city hired Goiener and had his collaboration and the dynamization of the Farapi Koops. For its part, the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa has supported the processing process.

With the cooperation of the City Hall, the first meeting of the people took place on 9 February, as Barroso explained. Then the first steps were taken with the help of Goiener, and since last November the community has been on its own with the help of the municipal technician: “A great job has been done in one year and we have so much work ahead.”

The energy community is open to all citizens, “citizens interested in changing the current energy system are guaranteed a fair transition.” The main objective of this community is to reduce energy consumption and reduce energy bills, reducing dependence on fossil fuels as a benchmark in renewable energy. They reiterated their desire to promote energy sovereignty, “we want to make our own decisions in different areas, in economic development, in improving the quality of life and in achieving broad and solid social cohesion”. Therefore, in yesterday’s hearing they said that they need the participation of all citizens, “the support of all citizens”.

Bazkidetza campaign

Currently, within Ekiherria, they have created the promoter group, the project team, the communication team, the legal and economic group and have started a study for the implementation of community photovoltaic facilities. This municipality also has a community and individual energy advisory service.

With yesterday’s presentation, the new energy community has launched a campaign of partners and called on citizens to join. Yesterday’s presentation explained that “participating in the assemblies, making partner partners or being consumer partners”.

Ekiherria President José Mitxelena finally explained the details of the project. They are all available on the website created by Eki.