Interest in energy cooperatives and energy communities has been growing in Serbia in recent years. And what do they look like in areas where they are already numerous and have behind them dozens of realized projects of renewable energy sources in the hands of citizens?

The seventh edition of the Solar technology for common people course, organized by the energy cooperative Electropioneer with the support of the Belgrade Open School, this time had an international character. Training participants had a great opportunity to learn firsthand how energy cooperative projects are established, why they are important for energy transition and community building, based on the inspiring example of the British organization Energy4All. The guest speaker was Mark Lantley, director of Energy4All.

In 2002, Energy4All launched the first renewable energy cooperative in the UK. Today, Energy4All supports 33 independent energy cooperatives, which bring together over 17,000 individuals. They collaborate with local communities in the development of innovative renewable energy projects, raise the funds needed for their projects, engage highly qualified experts to support the power plant construction process, and help cooperatives to manage their energy projects in the long term.

Mark Luntley has been involved in the creation of numerous community-owned renewable energy projects across England. He chairs the Westmill Wind cooperative, was a founding director of the Westmill Solar cooperative, as well as a director of Community Energy England. As Director of Energy4All, Mark focuses on relations with member cooperatives and international relations. In 2017, he was elected to the eight-member management board of REScoop, which represents renewable energy cooperatives across Europe. He is the director of MECISE, an international cooperative that develops financing mechanisms for European energy communities. Mark has a long career in local government, particularly in finance.

Text taken from the Facebook page of the energy cooperative Electropioneer.

You can watch the recording of the event HERE.

Photos are available here.

Photo author: Electropioneer