Ecopower is a REScoop with more than 56.000 cooperative members. Collectively, they own several renewable energy installations. Members can buy their own renewable energy directly from their REScoop. Ecopower gains profit from its production installations.
The service to supply must cover its cost but does not need to gain profit, that is Ecopower’s policy.
Goal of the REScoopPLUS-project was to find out whether following “tools” stimulate customers to reduce their energy consumption:
- becoming a member and customer of a REScoop (Ecopower in this case);
- the Single Tariff Price;
- using EnergieID.
To find out, we participated in two surveys led by the University of Delft (TUD). Approximately 5000 cooperative Ecopower members replied to the survey. This leads to interesting behavioural information. We also provided two datasets to the University of Crete (TUC): almost 200.000 measurements over 6 years. The analysis of these data confirms that customers who become member of Ecopower reduce their electricity consumption. The Single Tariff Price proves to be effective and desired. For the full results we refer to the relevant reports. Members of a REScoop seem indeed to consume their energy more thoughtfully. Moreover, the analysis confirms that using EnergieID reduces the consumption of electricity.
“The Single Tariff Price” and “EnergieID” were both taken into the Toolkit as best practices, so that other REScoops can get the right information about these tools in order to adapt them for their own use. For the “The Single Tariff Price” this has not yet lead to any opportunities. Especially starting cooperatives – in Flanders, Turkey, Spain – were very interested in the information, because it gives insights to start with a cooperative and maybe energy supplying.
As for EnergieID, in the context of the project it has been implemented at REScoop Enostra (Italy), Coopernico (Portugal) and Enercoop (France). Opportunities and leads are with REScoops Jurascic, BürgerEnergie Berlin, Familles à énergie positive de Cler.org, ZEZ and Econobis.nl.
Best Practice “Package deal” implementation by Ecopower
In 2018 Ecopower started with the development of a large district heating project in the city of Eeklo. Despite the fact that this project is in the starting phase of study of the technical and economic feasibility, Ecopower also studied the possibilities of the implementation of the “Package deal” of Danish partner EBO into this project. Therefore, three Ecopower employees went to Denmark to learn all about this “Package deal”.
Because of the early stage we are in now, the implementation of the “Package deal” is not possible yet. But thanks to the Danish in-house training we are fully inspired and prepared tot do so, hopefully in the course of 2020.