In the period October 17-19, 2023, the last consortium meeting of the Lightness project was held in Spain, which was combined with visits to the two pilot projects in the towns of Alginet, near Valencia, and Manzanares El Real, not far from Madrid.
The Energy Community in Alginet
An energy cooperative was established in Alginet as early as 1931 for the supply of electricity, and the distribution energy network is entirely owned by the members of the cooperative, that is, by the end users themselves. The local DSO supplies 46 million KW of electricity annually through 40 transformer centers with an installed capacity of 18,000 KW to 5,700 feed points equipped with smart meters. In early 2023, the Lightness project formed an energy community in which the residents of Alginet are involved with installed grid-connected photovoltaic systems placed on the roofs of their residential buildings.
Manza Energia
In the municipality of Manzanares El Real, an energy community has been organized at the initiative of the municipality, which includes 5 public buildings, 15 families in a situation of energy poverty and over 30 participants from the neighborhood energy association and others, supported by the local government. A PV installation with a battery has been built on the roof of the municipal sports center and there is also a charging point for EVs. The children in the municipal school are included in the initiative, and an energy saving program with prizes has been prepared for them. A Municipal Energy Office was established, which supports the activities of the community .
For more information on the good practice of the municipality of Manzanares, see the video link