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Energy democracy in Wiedikon: Energy from us, for us

Avatar: Jamal Mahmoud Jamal Mahmoud

What should be created?
Instead of Alpine megasolar projects, energy for Zurich should be democratically produced in Zurich! An energy community for Wiedikon would be a project to produce and consume renewable energy at the neighborhood level. As a pilot project for a neighbourhood and then hopefully for a city-wide change. The energy community model is based on solar contracting. The community leases roofs or other suitable areas (e.g. facades) from homeowners for solar systems for 20 to 30 years. In addition, roofs of public buildings such as schools could also be used. The cooperative then owns the solar systems, installs them on the roofs and distributes the energy to the cooperative members and homeowners at a favourable rate. Surplus energy is sold to the municipal electricity grid or to consumers outside the cooperative. Relevant decisions and strategies are made by the General Assembly, which meets annually and is made up of the cooperative members. Each member has one vote, regardless of the amount of the capital contribution. To ensure equitable access to the cooperative, there are four different annual contribution options available, depending on the median income distribution in the city. Investments in the cooperative can be made by private and legal entities under certain conditions such as a long term, waiver of preferential voting rights and fair interest rates. In addition, support could be provided by contributions from the city's climate strategy and cantonal subsidies for renewable energies. The day-to-day management of the cooperative is the responsibility of an elected board of directors, which represents different identities within the communities and different roles within the cooperatives, such as consumers, workers, low-income households, women, etc. To ensure fair participation, board members are adequately compensated and given flexible working arrangements to balance care responsibilities, health situations, and work commitments. The cooperative's focus is not only on sustainable energy production, but also on a community-oriented energy system that promotes understanding and engagement in energy use. Therefore, a portion of the revenue goes toward expanding energy production, a portion goes back to members as dividends, and a portion is used for self-sufficiency initiatives and community-based projects. This could include sufficiency workshops, the education of children and young people on community-oriented technologies, as well as vocational training for people with career entry difficulties (IV, migrants, etc.) in this sector. In addition, energy-saving technologies (e.g. improved insulation) could be promoted. So far, it is only an idea based on other models of collaborative energy production. We are not yet an existing cooperative, but the idea would be to found it first!
example
There
are many different projects throughout Europe. You can find the whole network here: https://www.rescoop.eu/network/all/sun
Are you an individual or part of a group?
I'm an individual
Name
Are you implementing the idea alone or are you still looking for comrades-in-arms?
I/we are still looking for comrades-in-arms
Describe the place(s)
In the whole neighborhood
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