Solar communities: how to save money by sharing renewable energy

It is noon in the town of Venta de los Santos in Jaén. At nine years old, at the Padre Poveda school, Natalia strives to memorize the parts of the locomotor system after having managed to learn the multiplication table of 9. She shines the sun and the thermometer reads 25 degrees. While Natalia’s class concentrates on studying, the solar panels installed on the brown tiles of the school building collect sunlight to convert it into energy that benefits the entire community.

“At school we take care of the planet,” says Natalia. And she knows perfectly how: “There are solar panels, which are things that are placed on the roof and with the sun’s rays they create energy for us to use,” the student describes. And, in addition, she is very aware of why it is so beneficial for everyone: “It is renewable energy and that means that it is never used up,” she says.

Natalia’s comments present some of the advantages of her school’s commitment to solar energy. The first of these is that the center contributes to the generation of clean energy and the decarbonization of the planet. Second, that solar panels also serve as an awareness tool so that new generations understand the importance of the energy transition. No less relevant is the third: thanks to this installation, savings can be made on the electricity bill.

Individuals, communities of owners, companies and institutions are increasingly aware of these benefits, which has led to a real boom in the installation of solar panels on roofs and roofs in our country. The data proves it. According to the Spanish Photovoltaic Union, installed power grew by 108% throughout 2022 compared to the figures for the previous year. The 20,500 new residential installations for solar self-consumption have been decisive in this increase.

That of Padre Poveda also has a fourth advantage. The school center benefits from renewable energy, but the neighboring buildings, located less than two kilometers away, can also do so. “We can share the energy with other neighbors so that they also take care of the planet”, emphasizes the young student. And as often happens, childish logic is overwhelming: if we share the planet, why not share the renewable energy that is generated on our rooftops.

This model can be brought to reality thanks to what is known as solar communities, that is, a photovoltaic energy generation and distribution service that allows neighborhoods, cities and even counties to share clean energy, whether they have panels in the building itself as if not.

“Solar communities give homes or small businesses the opportunity to join and consume 100% renewable energy from the sun,” argues Alfonso Flores, an expert in distributed generation at Repsol, who has promoted solar communities in the Comarca del Condado, Jaén, through Repsol Solmatch.

“It’s a benefit shared by the people,” says Faustino, one of the region’s retirees. And it is that, every afternoon, while Faustino plays his daily game of mus or cinquillo, on the tiles of the El Olivo Retirees Association, energy is also produced for another of the solar communities in the area.

“We reached an agreement with the owners of homes, small businesses or even companies, parishes, schools… to use their roofs, develop this solar community and generate energy that later travels to the houses and is shared among the consumers”, explains Flores.

Among these is Manuel González. He understands that photovoltaic energy is a way to contribute to taking care of the planet that his daughters will inherit. And, along with this essential aspect, he is also interested in the economic advantages of self-consumption. “I decided to go solar because of the savings I was getting on my bill by consuming renewable energy,” confesses this employee at a construction materials warehouse.

The argument emphasized by Manuel is confirmed by Alfonso Flores. “An average household that consumes around 3,000 kWh a year can save up to 20% on its bill if it forms part of one of the solar communities,” observes the expert. A reduction in expenses that undoubtedly has a positive impact on the family budget. And to this we must add another important saving: not having to invest a single euro in the installation of the panels.

In fact, the cost of installing the integrated panels in a solar community is not even borne by the owner of the building that gives up his roof, but by the company itself. “Repsol has set up a solar community in my town that I have been able to sign up for without making any investment in my home. At zero cost”, says González.

And not only that. It is not that he has not had to install solar panels in his home, it is that he has not needed any reform to receive or channel the electricity that comes from the roofs of his neighbors. “They don’t have to make installations and, obviously, they don’t have to invest because Repsol already takes care of it,” Flores clarifies.

Ties through which energy flows, such as the neighborhood ties that also unite Natalia, Manuel, Faustino and the rest of the inhabitants of the Comarca del Condado, now reinforced by the solar communities.