Neighborhood Involvement in Advancing the Local Energy Transition in Baroña
Last Wednesday, February 19th, the third open meeting for the creation of an energy community in Barbanza was held in Baroña, coordinated by the USC (through CISPAC and the Histagra research group) in collaboration with the Galician Wind Observatory.
February 20, 2025 – On February 19th, the Barbanza Ecosocial Laboratory organized the third open meeting for the creation of an energy community, this time based on the interest of the Baroña Common Land Community, in Porto do Son. The event, part of the Laboratory’s Action 1, was coordinated by the University of Santiago de Compostela (USC), through CISPAC and the Histagra research group, in collaboration with the Galician Wind Observatory (OEGA).
The meeting was held in the vicinity of the ‘comunidad de montes’ and was facilitated by Xavier Simón, professor of Applied Economics at the University of Vigo and representative of OEGA. The key factors for the development of energy communities were laid out: the existence of natural resources, the availability of accessible technology, the presence of energy citizens, and the support of a regulatory framework for these initiatives. During his presentation, Simón highlighted the region’s great potential for developing community solar energy projects: “The sun is ours, it belongs to everyone. The important thing is to know if we have the resources, and we do. In Baroña, we can produce more energy than we consume, based on 2019 data.”
The initiative proposes a collective self-consumption model, allowing residents to share renewable energy and reduce their energy costs. Furthermore, the project contemplates community management in which surplus energy generation could generate financial compensation: “When energy production exceeds consumption, we will not pay anything for electricity. Furthermore, for any surplus energy supplied to the grid, each user will receive compensation on their bill. In the event that self-production does not cover the necessary consumption, we will remain connected to the grid to guarantee the energy supply.”
One of the most important points of the project is its economic and technical feasibility. Installing solar panels on rooftops is more efficient and sustainable than installing them on arable land. In Porto do Son, there are approximately 12 hectares of well-oriented rooftops with no impact on heritage. “On a small scale, solar panels are more accessible than other types of installations. It’s an opportunity for rural Galicia”, Simón noted.
More than 80 people attended the event, demonstrating the growing interest in the region. Simón emphasized the importance of correctly sizing the installation and recommended starting with small-scale projects, gradually building a new energy consumption mindset: “Our strength will be at midday. We have to change our mindset and consume more when there is more sun.”
Community collaboration also offers significant economic benefits. By sharing investments in inverters and other equipment, the savings on electricity bills can be substantial, especially when integrating different consumption profiles.
Ovidio Queiruga, president of the Baroña Common Land Community, stated that “There is no need to do any work on the house, nor change energy suppliers. The challenge is to adapt to a new mentality, taking advantage of the hours of maximum sunlight to optimize energy consumption.”
There are few rural energy communities in Galicia, and several are in the process of being created in Barbanza. Baroña could become the first to materialize in the region. A rural energy community is a local entity that collaboratively produces, consumes, and shares renewable energy. Its goal is to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, save energy, combat climate change, and boost the local economy and citizen participation.
The Barbanza Ecosocial Laboratory will continue to offer free technical support and advice to those interested in being part of this initiative. In the coming months, progress is expected to be made in shaping the rural energy community, promoting a sustainable and participatory model that contributes to the economic and social development of Barbanza.
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.