The Office of Community Transformation (OTC), part of the Urban Energy Transformation Strategy of the Zaragoza City Council, is an initiative that represents a decisive commitment to a decentralized, equitable and sustainable energy model, where citizens become champions … Active for change. A public advisory, technical and legal support service that allows neighbours, associations, companies and local entities to come together to produce, share and manage their own renewable energy. A pioneering model of energy transformation, for citizen energy with social impact, based on collective self-consumption and energy democratization, in a pioneering city in this regard.
This Technical Office, led by the field of Urban Planning, Infrastructure, Energy and Housing in collaboration with the Aragonese CIRCE (a private and non-profit research centre, created in 1993 by the University of Zaragoza and the Government of Aragon and Endesa), is not just an institutional project, but an open door for citizen participation. “The OTC (indicating from the city council) works to encourage, accompany and train citizens to participate in the new energy model, promoting independence, energy saving and social cohesion.”
“Its goal (they add from the foundation) is to transform energy into a tool for social transformation. Beyond electricity production, energy communities seek to empower citizens in energy management, create social fabric and neighborhood cooperation, promote energy savings and efficiency, and educate on sustainability. A global cross-sectional performance confirms that Zaragoza is the national benchmark in the energy transition for citizens (OTC is the seed of this future).
Its functions
The office is designed as a space that provides technical and legal advice to interested entities or persons; Facilitates collective processes and supports the formation of communities with methodological tools; It provides an observatory of opportunities (to detect buildings, roofs and areas that have the potential to install renewable energy generation systems) and acts as an institutional link between neighbours, companies, management and financial entities.
A series of actions featuring a comprehensive, transparent and transformative approach to building energy networks that are also community networks.
A firm commitment to sustainability
Zaragoza proposed promoting sustainability, reducing carbon dioxide emissions, improving air quality, combating energy poverty, and promoting an energy model that generates local value. The city has the potential for solar energy in its public buildings, the institutional will and active citizens ready to meet the challenge, and within the framework of the global strategy the establishment of this office was necessary.
“Zaragoza (City Council highlights) is a city committed to technological innovation, smart grids, surveillance, data…, but it always does it together with people. Because real change cannot be achieved without shared responsibility. The future of Zaragoza today is a city with lower emissions, better air quality, lower energy costs, and greater collective autonomy. It is a city where sustainability does not conflict with growth, but rather enhances it: it encourages green employment, more vibrant neighbourhoods, urban innovation, and social cohesion. An example of progress as a city of energy prosperity, “where every neighborhood becomes a doer, every neighbor a hero, and energy is a tool for dignity, community and progress.”
How can an energy society be created?
The process consists of several basic stages:
1. Leadership group: People are organized who are committed to the idea as the driving force.
2. Legal form: The legal form (cooperative, association, company…) appropriate for the purposes is chosen.
3. Scope and objectives: The project type, technology, scope of work and members are determined.
4. Technical and financial study: The technical, economic, social and environmental feasibility is analyzed.
5. Governance: Defining a model of democratic and transparent participation.
6. Commissioning: After obtaining permits and financing, installation and operation begin.
7. Development and expansion: Opening the door to participation for more neighbors or activities (mobility, marketing, training…).
in the way
The Zaragoza City Council’s Urban Energy Transition Strategy promotes 12 projects involving public-private investments worth more than €36.6 million. The goal is to use the urban space to place photovoltaic installations that provide service to the municipal infrastructure and whose surplus green energy the community of Zaragoza uses in its various areas.
To evaluate the solar energy potential of municipal buildings, a study has already been carried out to analyze the roofs of a total of 181 sites. This study concluded that there is a possibility of installing about 19.3 megawatts on these municipal buildings. Of this total energy, 11.5 megawatts can be installed on the roofs of schools, and the remaining 7.7 megawatts can be installed on the roofs of buildings designated for other uses. In total, this is equivalent to installing about 36,000 solar panels. For this reason, the city council is progressing in installing self-consumption solar energy in various municipally owned spaces, and there are currently approximately 40 places equipped.
Ongoing and diverse work, including works such as those for the photovoltaic power plants planned or under construction at Fire Station 1, at the Academy tanks or at the Valdepartera tanks; Installation of photovoltaics in Torero Cemetery; The photovoltaic power generation park contains 6,160 photovoltaic modules; Ten city facilities for self-consumption worth 325,000 euros.
Representative (Rey Fernando Grand Center and Benjamin Garnes Library), Santa Isabel Civic Center, Line Intraljo Grand Center and Joselipol Civic Center, Pirenhos Children’s School, Valdeviero Municipal Sports Pavilion, Civic Centers Casitas and Peñaflor, La Paz Children’s School and Buildings of the Architecture Brigades in the Cogolada Industrial Zone, Project
To generate clean energy using photovoltaic panels in four public parking lots, awarded to Repsol, and upcoming actions such as 18 municipal facilities, 88 public pre-schools and primary schools, the industrial lands of Malpica and the Impresarium…, an exciting list.
Opening the way to the present and the future
The City Council invites you to participate in the different proposals launched by the OTC, such as, for example, in workshops, webinars and free access talks (access available through the OTC website), where information is provided on how to participate in this initiative of the Zaragoza City Council, to consolidate what has been achieved, and to project new actions, in a model city to meet the challenge of caring for the 21st century environment.
(An initiative funded by the Institute for Energy Diversification and Savings – IDAE, MP, within the First Call for Incentive Program for Grants of Aid to Community Transformation Offices to strengthen and revitalize energy communities, within the framework of the EU-funded Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan – NextGeneration).
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