The town of Almendralejo in Badajoz province has become one of the Extremaduran leaders in energy communities Thanks to the launch of the 'Solar Harvest' initiative, a project that combines collective self-consumption, citizen participation, and European funding, the proposal allows residents, small businesses, and the City Council itself to share the energy generated by a municipal photovoltaic solar installation.
This public-private energy community was born with the idea of to lower electricity bills and bring renewable energy closer to those who, individually, could hardly afford their own installation. It also does so without requiring an initial investment from users, relying on the support of the Badajoz Provincial Council and European funds from the TRANSCOM_EUROACE program.
What is the Vendimia Solar energy community?
'Solar Harvest' is the first Public-private energy community operating in AlmendralejoIt is an open association in which both individuals and small and medium-sized enterprises can participate. Its operation is based on the principle of "one member, one vote", so that all members have the same weight in decision-making, regardless of their consumption.
The project has been driven by the Badajoz Provincial Council, through the Area of Environmental Sustainability, Energy and Green TerritoryIt is part of the European framework TRANSCOM_EUROACE, which aims to promote local energy communities in the Spanish-Portuguese cross-border area. Collaboration between government agencies, businesses, and local residents has been key to making the community a reality.
During the presentation ceremony, held in the Almendralejo Plenary Hall, the mayor, José María Ramírez, the president of the Provincial Council, Raquel del Puerto, and others participated. institutional representatives, neighborhood associations and economic agents of the city. Everyone agreed to highlight the pioneering nature of the initiative and its potential to extend this model to other municipalities.
A municipal photovoltaic plant as the centerpiece of the project
The heart of Solar Harvest is a collective self-consumption photovoltaic installation Located in the Tomás de la Hera municipal sports center, the plant has been built on the roof of the Viti García Rubiales pavilion and has a peak power of approximately 61 kilowatts (kWp). While some documents cite a figure closer to 50 kW, this capacity is sufficient to supply part of the energy consumption of numerous users.
The investment needed to implement this infrastructure is around 48.000 euros, financed within the framework of the European projectThis initial outlay is already covered, so individuals and companies joining the community will not have to face the installation cost, one of the main obstacles usually associated with domestic self-consumption.
The energy produced by the plant is fed into the low voltage network linked to the sports center and municipal buildingsWhile the process of allocating power among the partners through a lottery is being completed, the City Council is already taking advantage of some of that generation, which translates into an immediate reduction in its electricity bill.
The system design also allows that shared energy can be distributed within an approximate radius of five kilometers from the point of generation, which expands the potential number of beneficiaries in the municipality and surrounding areas, provided they meet the community requirements.
Who can benefit and how much energy is distributed
Solar Harvest is structured to provide service to 30 families, 10 SMEs and several municipal buildingsSome documents specify that two City Council facilities are included among the beneficiaries, in addition to the council itself as a direct consumer of part of the production.
In the distribution of power, the community has established a simple scheme: 1 kWp allocated to each participating household and 2 kWp for each small or medium-sized enterpriseThe City Council, for its part, has allocated power to both the sports center and other participating municipal buildings, so that solar production also contributes to reducing public energy expenditure.
It is estimated that for a typical family, the installation can cover around 30% of annual electricity consumptionDepending on usage habits and demand profile, this means that a significant portion of their energy needs is obtained locally and from renewable sources.
Overall, the infrastructure is designed to achieve a overall savings exceeding 32.800 euros per year among all participating families, businesses and municipal buildings, a figure that supports the economic viability of the model as well as its environmental impact.
Fees, access and participation in the community
One of the major new features of the project is that Users do not have to change their energy supplier or modify their current electricity contract.As explained by Martín Cobos, head of the local energy efficiency and management service of the Provincial Council, the beneficiaries maintain their usual relationship with the electricity company and remain connected to the general network, guaranteeing supply at all times.
To join the Almendralejo Vendimia Solar Energy Community, interested individuals must follow a relatively simple registration process. First, it is necessary to become a member by paying an annual fee of 10 euroswhich entitles participants to enter the public lottery that allocates the available power. Registration can be done through the neighborhood associations in the municipality.
In addition, the following basic documentation must be provided: ID card, certificate of registration and a recent electricity bill, all with the same address and ownership, to ensure that the energy generated is correctly associated with each partner's supply point.
Those selected in the draw will have to pay a one-time membership fee, the amount of which differs depending on the type of beneficiary: 40 euros for families and 70 euros in the case of SMEsThis payment is made only once at the time of power allocation and serves to formalize the incorporation as an effective beneficiary.
Finally, a annual fee for the management and maintenance of the facilityThis fee covers insurance, preventative maintenance, and community administration. The costs range from around €35-36 per year for families and €72 for small businesses, amounts considered manageable when compared to the estimated savings on the bill.
Cost savings and return on investment
The main incentive for households and businesses joining Solar Harvest is the direct savings on the electricity billThe calculations handled by the Provincial Council and the City Council indicate that an average family could reduce its annual expenditure by around 230-231 euros, which represents approximately 26% of the annual energy cost, provided that their consumption habits are adjusted to the available renewable production.
In the case of SMEs, the impact is also significant, since the allocation of 2 kWp per company helps to to reduce a substantial portion of fixed energy costsThis is a particularly important aspect for small businesses. The energy generated during daylight hours helps cover regular expenses such as heating, cooling, lighting, and equipment.
If you add up the individual savings of families, businesses, and public buildings, you exceed the €32.800 in combined annual savingsThis figure allows us to estimate a return on investment period of less than a year and a half with respect to the approximate initial investment of 48.380 euros, which reinforces the interest in replicating the model.
This approach fits with the Provincial Council's strategy of using European funds to activate projects with high social and economic returnsBy eliminating the need for each user to finance their own installation, one of the most frequent barriers in the deployment of residential and commercial self-consumption is overcome.
Citizen participation and governance model
The energy community is configured as a open and participatory associationAny individual or SME that meets the requirements can apply to become a member, and strategic decisions are made in assembly under the rule "one member, one vote." This prevents those with greater financial resources from accumulating disproportionate power in the management of the project.
This approach helps the community to be not just a technological initiative, but also a space for social involvement in the energy transitionPartners can get involved in issues such as prioritizing future expansions, incorporating new beneficiaries, or the possible replication of the model in other neighborhoods or municipalities.
The Provincial Council emphasizes that these types of structures promote more responsible consumption habits and greater awareness of energy useBy seeing the impact of shared renewable generation reflected in their own bills, participants tend to adjust their routines to make better use of solar production, reducing superfluous consumption.
Furthermore, the public-private nature of the initiative strengthens collaboration between the administration and the public. The City Council provides infrastructure such as the roof of the sports center, the Provincial Council offers technical and financial assistance, and the users become the protagonists of a a more distributed energy model that is less dependent on large operators.
Environmental and social impact and projection in the province
Beyond the economic aspect, Vendimia Solar pursues a positive and measurable environmental impactBy replacing part of the electricity consumption from fossil fuels with local photovoltaic energy, greenhouse gas emissions associated with the electricity supply of Almendralejo are reduced.
Martín Cobos, head of Local Energy Management, has insisted that the project is not limited to saving money in euros, but also seeks to promote the use of clean energy and citizen involvement in the energy transition. This combination of environmental benefits and social participation fits with the European Union's objectives for energy communities.
The president of the Provincial Council, Raquel del Puerto, has emphasized that 'Solar Harvest' is the first public-private energy community in the province Driven by the institution that is already operating, but it will not be the only one. Similar projects are in different stages of development in municipalities such as Valverde de Burguillos, Villanueva de la Serena, and Valverde de Llerena, among others.
At the same time, the Provincial Council has delivered photovoltaic potential studies in over thirty municipalities municipalities with fewer than 20.000 inhabitants. These documents serve as a basis for local corporations to assess where to install new solar plants and how to create energy communities that replicate the Almendralejo model in other regions.
The European framework TRANSCOM_EUROACE and the democratization of energy
Solar Harvest is part of the 0198_TRANSCOM_EUROACE_4_E project, integrated into the Interreg VI Cooperation Program A Spain-Portugal (POCTEP) 2021-2027This program, co-financed 75% by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), aims to strengthen cross-border cooperation in areas such as energy, sustainable mobility and innovation.
With a total budget exceeding With €2,3 million, TRANSCOM_EUROACE is committed to an ecological transition model. Based on local communities that share energy resources, the idea is that citizens, businesses, and government agencies can jointly access renewable energy facilities that, due to cost or technical complexity, would not be viable on an individual scale.
The Badajoz Provincial Council, together with Spanish and Portuguese partners, proposes these energy communities as a instrument of “energy democratization”where access to clean energy does not depend on income or the investment capacity of each household. By setting moderate fees and eliminating the initial investment, participation is facilitated for diverse profiles, including those with lower economic means.
This approach aligns with the European Union's specific objective OE 2.2 on the promotion of renewable energy and with Directive (EU) 2018/2001, which promotes a a fairer, more inclusive and sustainable energy marketSolar Harvest thus becomes a practical example of how these broad policy guidelines can be translated into concrete projects at the municipal level.
With the launch of 'Solar Harvest', Almendralejo debuts a model in which the Energy is produced close to where it is consumed and shared among neighbors and businesses. It is managed collectively with institutional support and European funding. The project demonstrates that the combination of collective self-consumption, participatory governance, and public aid can result in fewer emissions, lower costs, and greater citizen control over a resource as basic as electricity.
