General and regional characteristics
GOIENER is a non-profit citizen energy cooperative aimed at fostering RE through a people-centered approach. GOI is also a co-leader of the Spanish RESCoop federation UNION DE RENOVABLES The two main activities of GOI are energy billing, energy trading and investment in RE projects (e.g. hydro, solar). The Basque Country and Navarra, two autonomous communities in the North of Spain, have a dense network of fossil fuelled energy. Lots of forest biomass available but mostly used for the industry, not residential (almost non existent).
Scenario to be tested: Expansion of activities to bioenergy heating.
Local municipalities expect GOI to play a significant role in helping them realize their plans for clean energy with the use of bioenergy. Based on the regional specificities, the following community bioenergy heating scenarios can be considered: (i) Explore the opportunities offered by urban and neighbourhood configuration (small municipalities in rural areas have their buildings in a close range so a district heating (DH) solution is feasible); (ii) Explore building and neighbourhoods layouts in urban areas that have been designed so as to take into account a bioenergy DH solution; (iii) Define municipal facilities that can transit to RE heating (e.g. sports centres); (iv) Individual households.
What BECoop brings
Supports GOIENER in developing a new business line offering assistance and possible biofuel to different types of consumers (households, housing community, municipalities, small businesses…). GOIENER would complete their service offer (financing and engineering) to include domestic heating solutions, benefitting from knowledge generated through BECoop. Depending on the research results, develop at least one scenario into a business. Increasing acceptance level and knowledge on BE solutions (at all levels, from industry over installers to end consumers).
Contacts
Material
Credits: Photos by EVE, the Basque Energy agency, and the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa.
