EKIOLA Mendialdea is expected to produce kilometer 0 renewable energy next May.
The process of socialization and recruitment of cooperative members of EKIOLA Mendialdea is developing in a positive way, both for the interest aroused and for the economic advantages it offers.
The Lehendakari Iñigo Urkullu visited the EKIOLA Mendialdea works today together with the Deputy General of Araba Ramiro González, the Mayor of Arraia-Maeztu Anartz Gorrotxategi and the President of the MONDRAGON Corporation Iñigo Ucín. EKIOLA is the result of public-private collaboration, the joint work of various public institutions and the support of the citizens who will participate in the project in the form of a cooperative.
The photovoltaic solar park already has 25% of the structures installed and a third of the solar modules assembled. The Councilor for Economic Development, Sustainability and Environment Arantxa Tapia, the Director General of the Basque Energy Agency Iñigo Ansola, the Deputy for the Environment of the Provincial Council of Araba Antonio Galera, the Mayors of Mendialdea (Arraia-Maeztu, Campezo/Kanpezu, Bernabéu), the Mayor of Mendialdea (Arraia-Maeztu, Campezo/Kanpezu, Bernabéu) and the Mayor and Mayoress of Mendialdea (Arraia-Maeztu, Campezo/Kanpezu, Bernabéu), Campezo/Kanpezu, Bernedo, Lagrán, Peñacerrada-Urizaharra, Harana/ Valle de Arana), together with MONDRAGON's vice-president Marijo Pagaldai and the Managing Director of the KREAN Group Jon Berbel have witnessed the progress of the works. Ekiola Mendialdea is expected to produce kilometer 0 renewable energy next May.
Regarding the socialization process and the recruitment of cooperative members, the balance is positive, both for the interest aroused, as well as for the economic advantages that the company has presented to most of the interested people.
EKIOLA Mendialdea will receive 969,193 euros from the European NEXT Generation funds for the construction of its solar energy "factory". Thanks to this, the average investment of each home that becomes a cooperative member to generate its own renewable and kilometer 0 energy for 100% of its consumption will be less than 1,500 euros.
In addition to the families of the Cuadrilla de Montaña Alavesa, the Provincial Council of Araba intends to extend the project to small traders, self-employed and farms of the first sector, which maintain consumption and electricity needs similar to domestic ones.
The first installation to be started up in Alava will be the one in Montaña Alavesa, in Arraia-Maeztu, on a plot in the Tellazar industrial estate. It will have a power of 1.5 MWp, and will be able to admit around 700 members as cooperative owners. The cooperative will be run and managed by the members themselves, with an integrated management model: generation, maintenance and operation of their own energy.
The EKIOLA projects submitted by the regional government to the European NEXT Generation funds have received almost 3 million euros for the implementation of the photovoltaic solar parks.
About EKIOLA
The aim of the initiative is to create energy communities so that the citizens themselves generate 100% of the electricity they need to cover their needs. In addition, the cooperative itself functions as a legal instrument to face the energy future according to its own approach, and its members do not have to change any aspect of their domestic electrical installation.
The installation of the solar park has a 25-year guarantee of operation and performance, so that the energy will have a fixed price during that period of less than 50 €/MWh.
The EKIOLAs currently constituted are Ekiola Aiara, Añana, Arabako Errioxa, Arabako Lautada, Gorbeialdea, Medialdea and Landa-eremuko EKIOLA, EKIOLA Lea-Artibai and Usansolo-Galdakao in Bizkaia, EKIOLA Donostia, Lentz Bailara, Urretxu, Azpeitia (Ekindar), Zumaia (Egutera) and EKIOLA Elgoibar-Mendaro.
For more information, please visit www.ekiola.eus
