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RENEWABLE ENERGY COOPERATIVES: E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T I M P L I C A T I O N S
D O R R A I N E D U N C A N
OVERVIEW
What are RE cooperatives?
Logic model
Methodology
Findings
Economic implications
Best practices
W H A T A R E R E N E W A B L E E N E R G Y
C O - O P E R A T I V E S ?
Renewable Energy Co-ops
A democratic membership organization that facilitates
renewable energy generation where a community (local
or national) has a financial investment in a renewable
energy project, whether by complete ownership or in
partnership with others.
www.respublica.org.uk
Regional Energy Policy | Community Relations
• Reduced carbon emissions
• Energy decentralization
• Advances in energy policy
• Community Improvements
• New business development
Clean energy production
Inputs Intervention Capabilities & Actions Outputs
Long -term Impacts
Short -term Impacts
Rival explanation: Government or utility initiative
Rival explanation:
Government or utility initiative
Rival explanation: Gov/utility initiative
with community focus
Problems initiating need for RE co-ops
• Develop ownership model
• Incorporate
Cooperative • Open for
Membership • Secure PPA • Install RE
plant
• Improved citizen Knowledge
• Improved relationship with Utility
• Changes in community relations
• RE and energy Conservation
• Education • Price stability • Employment • Revenue
• Utility bill
credits
• Local community engagement
• Member economic Participation
• Local community knowledge
LOGIC MODEL
Catalog characteristics of RE co-ops.
How can these characteristics create economic development?
o A case survey Dataset consisting of RE co-ops 60 cases worldwide
o Data Collection Consortiums of shared renewable energy projects Journals/reports of energy cooperatives Journals/reports of shared energy
METHODOLOGY
Solar
Wind
Mixed- Use
Biofuels/Biomass
Hydro
Min: 35 Median: 573 Max:50,000
MEMBERSHIP OF CO-OP
Min: 35 Median:200 Max: 1375
FINDINGS
Inputs
Interventions
External conditions
Capabilities and Actions
Outputs
Short term impacts
Long term impacts
I N P U T S
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
EnvironmentalSustainability
EnergyIndependence
CommunityEmpowerment
Economicreturns/growth
Service MarginalizedCommunities
Lower costs/Stabilizeprices
Num
ber o
f Co-
ops
D R I V E R S F O R C R E A T I O N O F R E C O - O P S
[Author Analysis]
Purchase of 1 share 38%
Membership fee 25%
Subscription fees/ work equity
15%
No information 12%
Membership fee and share purchase
10%
T Y P E S O F F I N A N C I A L I N V E S T M E N T
[Author Analysis]
I N T E R V E N T I O N S
Community-led Ownership: The co-op was responsible for implementing and financing the project via wholly community-led initiatives
Joint Ownership: An energy developer was responsible for implementing the project but the co-op purchases a stake in the project
Public/Community-led Ownership: A public body was involved in the implementation/financing of the project and the co-op has part or full ownership
www.respublica.org.uk [Content Analysis]
E X T E R N A L C O N D I T I O N S
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
PPA RE portfoliostandards
Tradable REC FiT tax incentive Net metering
Num
ber o
f Co-
ops
E N E R G Y P O L I C Y
[Author Analysis]
O U T P U T
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
40
45
solar wind hydro biofuels/biomass
Num
ber o
f Co-
ops
R E N E W A B L E E N E R G Y S O U R C E S
[Author Analysis]
Max: 102MW/h Median: 855kW/h Min: 6kW/h
1 home – 1.25kW/h 800 homes- 1MW/h
https://www.eia.gov/
ELECTRICTY PRODUCTION
Max: 1.9MW/h Median: 103.5kW/h Min: 22.05kW/h
I M P A C T S
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Revenue/Dividends/Returns
Education/ Skills Training
Employment
New Energy Access
Reduced energy prices/Stability
Energy Efficiency
Discounts on other products
Number of Co-ops SHORT-TERM OUTCOMES
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Reduced Carbon Emissions
Community Improvements
New Business Development
Number of Co-ops
LONG-TERM OUTCOMES
E C O N O M I C D E V E L O P M E N T
IMPLICATIONS
Electricity price stabilization
Building resilient communities
Education and training for green industries
Growth in green energy industry
1. Identify leaks in windows, doors, walls
2. CEF staff provides training on sealing
cracks, installing window kits
3. Teams go house to house
weatherizing the homes
4. Materials free for co-op members
WEATHERIZATION PARTIES
www.census.gov/2010census/data/
COMMUNITIES
OUTPUT
B U S I N E S S D E V E L O P M E N T
BEST PRACTICES
Start-up costs
• Crowd sourcing
Community Partners
• Leveraging anchor institutions
Co-op culture
• 43% of GA population are members of an EMC
Creating Economic Development?
• Supportive policy framework
• Diverse citizen participation
THANK YOU ! [email protected]