The Laboratory advances in the consolidation of an energy community in Barbanza
This Tuesday, January 28th, the second open meeting on the creation of an energy community in Barbanza was held, coordinated by the University of Santiago de Compostela (through CISPAC and the Histagra research group) in collaboration with the Galician Wind Observatory.
January 30, 2025 – Reinforcing its commitment to sustainability and the democratization of energy, the Barbanza Ecosocial Laboratory held its second open meeting yesterday, Tuesday, January 28th, to explore the creation of an energy community in the region. The event, which took place at the Araño Cultural Center in Rianxo, was attended by a broad range of social and institutional stakeholders, eager to reflect on the region’s energy future and the possibility of more efficient and collaborative management of local resources.
The event was organized by the University of Santiago de Compostela (through CISPAC and the Histagra research group) in collaboration with the Galician Wind Observatory (OEGA). This event is part of Action 1 of the Barbanza Ecosocial Laboratory, whose objective is to support ‘comunidades de montes’ in the transition to sustainable management models.
The meeting was coordinated by Xavier Simón, Professor of Applied Economics at the University of Vigo and representative of OEGA, who shared his experience on the energy transition and sustainable development in rural areas. During his presentation, Xavier Simón emphasized: “We have natural resources, ‘montes’, and sunshine; we have technology, now 20% more accessible than when we began this journey; we have a regulatory framework that protects us, and, above all, we have the necessary will to bring this transformation to fruition”; a statement that sums up the favorable context for the creation of a local energy community and the need for joined forces to make it a reality.
Throughout the meeting, various options for developing an initiative of this type were discussed. Among them, the option of self-consumption, with or without surplus energy, was highlighted. In the case that more energy than necessary is generated, the possibility of offsetting it in the electricity bill or even selling the surplus was raised, though always within a model that prioritizes energy autonomy and collective benefit.
The viability of an energy community in Rianxo was one of the central topics of the debate. Xavier Simón emphasized that “the key lies in collective self-consumption, taking advantage of existing infrastructure and minimizing the bureaucratic procedures associated with energy sales.” He also emphasized that a project of this nature requires active citizen participation and a horizontal governance model, where decisions are made collaboratively.
Common land communities, due to their historical background and participatory governance model, have a key role to play in this energy transition. Their knowledge of the territory and experience in community management make them strategic agents to lead the initiative.
Lucía Saborido, president of the Araño Common Land Community, summed up the main objective with a powerful statement: “We want to save on electricity bills! I believe we can energize part of this transition from Rianxo.” This idea reflects the general consensus among attendees, who see the creation of an energy community as an opportunity to strengthen energy autonomy.
Representatives from the Rianxo City Council, the Plataforma pola Defensa do Monte, the common land communities of Irixo, Araño, Leiro, Paradela, and Baroña, as well as the Araño Neighborhood Association, among other groups committed to the region’s energy future, participated in the event.
With this second meeting, the Barbanza Ecosocial Laboratory reaffirms its commitment to an energy transition based on cooperation, shared knowledge, and the rational use of local resources. Through these types of meetings, alliances are being forged and the foundations are being laid for a fairer and more sustainable energy system.
Barbanza Ecosocial Lab has the support of the Biodiversity Foundation of the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and the Demographic Challenge (MITECO) of the Government of Spain, within the framework of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR), funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU.
Coordinated by Fundación RIA, the Barbanza Ecosocial Lab is a project dedicated to promoting the transition towards environmental sustainability and strengthening resilience in the territorial management of the Barbanza common land.