In a Spanish town, a solar energy community has reduced electricity prices by 50%.

Right now, switching to clean energy is no longer just a trendy topic, but a necessity. And this directly affects electricity prices. To somehow solve the problem with tariffs set by large energy companies, the Spanish town of El Rosario created a local energy community (LEC) called "El Rosario Solar". This is a non-profit organization that includes local residents, small and medium-sized businesses, and the city council.

This project started in 2023 and is already setting an example for others. It proves that changes for the better can start with ordinary people. And that this approach to energy changes not only how we use it, but also how we treat nature.

LEC is when people, various organizations, entrepreneurs, and local authorities unite to benefit together: economically, socially, and environmentally. They want to create a new, more environmentally friendly and fair system where energy is used by everyone together.

"El Rosario Solar" was created because residents and businesses of the city united with the support of the city council. They installed 2 MW of solar panels and 1 MW-hour of batteries on the roofs of factories in the industrial zone. This is enough to provide electricity to all members of the community who live within a 2 km radius. And this is already a significant part of the city!

"El Rosario Solar is a non-profit organization," explains Fidel Vázquez, Deputy Mayor of El Rosario. "We want clean energy to benefit nature, people, and the economy. We want to change the old system where energy is supplied only by large companies. We want people to have lower electricity bills, for local businesses to develop, for new jobs to be created, and for fewer people to suffer from energy poverty."

The main goal of this community is to produce, use, and manage renewable energy obtained from the sun using solar panels and batteries.

This is a great example of how ordinary people can change the world for the better by caring for the environment and sustainable development.

Thanks to this cooperation, even those who do not have their own solar panel can receive clean energy. After all, solar panels are installed on the roofs of factories, and residents of apartments or houses without a roof can join the LEC.

"El Rosario Solar" received more than 6 million euros in support from the Government of the Canary Islands. This allows to reduce the price of electricity by more than 50% compared to the usual price. In addition, residents participating in the project will receive a 50% discount on property tax for 10 years, and businesses will receive a 25% discount. This makes the project even more profitable and attractive.

This project is funded by the Council for Ecological Transition and Climate Change of the Government of the Canary Islands at the expense of European funds.