A new shared self-consumption service has been launched using the Alfonso Comín and Ronda de Dalt photovoltaic pergolas. This pioneering initiative makes solar power available that is generated by municipal installations, helping towards the city’s energy transition and fulfilling one of the goals set out in the Climate Plan.

Nearly a hundred people and businesses are now participating in the initiative, which offers them an average of 500 W of renewable energy for self-consumption. The Local Energy Agency is advising the beneficiaries on the rational use of shared energy and can gauge the consumption of households at any time.

With a maximum duration of four years, the service will mean a significant energy saving which may be near to 20% of the consumption for a household. Depending on the price of electricity, this may equate to a saving of between 90 and 120 euros a year. The new service comes with a public price of 70 euros a year for every 500 W of energy shared. A 100% discount on this price applies for vulnerable users.

Some of the users in this energy sharing project were chosen through a public call. A number of places were also reserved for vulnerable families, who did not take part in the call and entered the process according to social criteria.

This new public service is an instrument that contributes to the energy transition of the city within the framework of the Climate Plan. With this initiative, Barcelona takes a leading role to offer the first municipal shared self-consumption service. The idea is for households making use of the service to save between 100 and 150 euros a year on their electricity bills.

Two photovoltaic generation structures

The Ronda de Dalt pergola is located in Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron, in the district of Horta-Guinardó. It has an installed power capacity of 43.25 kWp and an estimated power generation of 54.063 kWh per year. It is expected to provide service for 56 homes selected via the public call and 26 vulnerable households. The City Council will use 2.25 kWp to supply municipal requirements in the vicinity.

As for the pergola in Plaça Alfonso Comín, in the district of Gràcia, this has an installed power capacity of 24.32 kWp and an estimated power generation of 30.400 kWh a year. In this case the pergola will provide power for 30 homes from the public call and 15 vulnerable households. The City Council will use 1.5 kWp for municipal requirements in the vicinity.