GoiEner is a renewable energy co-op based in the Basque Country of Spain. It was set up in 2012 with 30 members, and now there are around 1,500 of them. Erika Martínez Lizarraga from the GoiEner answered my questions by e-mail. I would like to thank her for sharing their experiences with readers in Türkiye.
When was your cooperative founded, and how did the founders come together?
The project was set up in 2011 by volunteers. In 2012, we started to trade renewable energy.
All of these people had links with the sector: either through their work, their activism in social movements in favour of renewables or against nuclear power, or because they belonged to other energy co-operatives, or because the co-operative model applied to the energy sector was an interesting idea in an area with strong co-operative roots. Initially, through personal contacts and then through informative assemblies, the group was formed and the number of volunteers increased.
What was the purpose behind founding the cooperative?
GoiEner was founded to promote a fair and democratic energy transition based on renewable energies through a participatory model. We always try to educate and inform society about the responsible use of energy. This means, of course, educating people to reduce consumption.
What was the initial number of members of your cooperative, and the number of current members? What strategies do you employ to increase your membership?
The initial number of members was 30. We now have more than 18,500 members in the trader and more than 1,500 members in the cooperative through which we invest in collective generation projects.
Much of our growth is due to the fact that the members themselves are the ones who encourage those around them to join the project. So, we take great care with internal communication and transparency. We also work on networking with similar organisations, we have started to run advertising campaigns.
Could you tell us about the member’s profile?
The great majority of our membership is in the Basque Country and Navarre. Our member profile is a person between 35 and 60 years of age, fairly equal in terms of women and men, who seeks to support renewable energies, defends the use of the Basque language, supports local projects, and is looking for a supplier they can trust.
Does your cooperative have members from other countries?
No, or it is very residual. We have a very close relationship with a cooperative in the south of France and we participate in the federation of renewable energy cooperatives in Europe, REScoop.
How did you get funding to set up your co-op? Have you had any support from the government or any other organization in setting up the cooperative?
The cooperative did not receive any grants or subsidies to get started. We got an office because the current manager won an award from a local development agency. In addition, the supporting members and founders made contributions and the first works were carried out by volunteers.
What are the total installed capacity and yearly electricity production (kWh) of the cooperative? Which type of energy production do you have?
Here you have all the information: https://nafarkoop.eus/es/
Are you only selling the electricity to your members?
That is the idea. Although each member can endorse a limited number of contracts, we always try to ensure that whoever consumes with GoiEner, becomes a member.
How is GoiEner managed?
We operate with a co-management team: a team consisting of the manager and the coordinators of each of the operational teams. These positions are rotating.
As a cooperative, the most important decisions are taken by the General Assembly, and throughout the year, we try to work on issues in as participatory a way as possible.
Could you please outline the key success factors for developing a cooperative?
To begin with, it is important to have a highly involved core group. Then you have to know how to transmit co-operative values to each new member and work to create relationships of trust and community. This is what allows you to grow without losing your essence (something which happens in many cases).
If there is already a similar project, it is always interesting to get in touch to find out about its experience and see how you can collaborate. It may not be exactly the model you want to develop, but surely something can be learned.
What are the main barriers to the development of a cooperative?
Normally, the co-operative model is not very well known, so I think that this is one of the main problems: people usually think first of all about the part of the responsibility that is assumed and not about all the advantages. And this is a resistance that needs to be overcome with a lot of education.
What are your future plans for the cooperative?
Continue to help create energy communities and provide services to existing ones. One priority is to have more of our own generation projects that will allow us to reduce our dependence on the market. And finally, to make progress in diversification, paying special attention to energy efficiency.
What recommendations would you give to people interested in establishing renewable energy cooperatives?
Take the step! It is a complex but very satisfying path. There are many experienced cooperatives that we are willing to help, so you won’t be alone. Energy co-operatives are the best way to transform the energy model towards a more renewable, fair and democratic one. It is also an excellent opportunity to create community. And we have shown that we are viable and a real alternative.
Finally, are there any messages you would like to forward?
I think a sentence that sums up the cooperative spirit very well is: if you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go with others. Let them think about how and where they want to get to, and I’m sure that the co-operative model will provide them with a useful tool for creating a project for the future.
