Aiarako Ekiola will be located in Amurrio and will produce 1,550 MWh/year, sufficient to meet the energy needs of about 700 families. Environmental SMEs will also be able to join the project.
Aiarako Ekiola starts the phase of opening the project to the citizens with an informative session that will be held in Amurrio on 19 at 18:00 in the Catechesis Hall and in Laudio/Llodio on 5 March at 18:00 in the Casino. In them, in addition to exposing the concrete project data, attendees presenting a current electricity bill will be able to receive a personalized report, so that they can assess whether or not they want to be part of the cooperative. This report contains detailed information on the conditions for their participation, which will depend on the consumption of each family.
 
In this way, the socialization phase will start in order to attract and incorporate the citizenship of the region to the cooperative that will manage the new solar power production plant for self-supply. For this purpose, an information and advice office will be available at the City Hall of Amurrio from 20 February to 5 March and at the City Hall of Laudio/Llodio from 6 March to 20 March. 
 
The project aims to provide 700 cooperatives for whom the construction of the PV solar park will be an opportunity both for the economic and environmental and social benefits provided by Ekiola Aiaraldea. 
 
For an average consumer of 2,200 kWh/year, the contribution to the cooperative is about EUR 1,700 by each cooperativist to generate an annual energy equal to that consumed (applying a 15% deduction in the IRPF for investments in habitual housing). This complies with one of the fundamental principles of Ekiola, which is that cooperatives should be sovereign to 100% of electricity demand in an annual period. 
 
The cost of generation to be transferred to each energy consumer in Aiarako Ekiola will be €29/MWh (charges, taxes and tolls excluded) in the first year (annual rise of the CPI) and the lifetime of the project is estimated to be 30 years, which will mean generating energy at a very attractive long-term cost price.
 
The energy cooperative will also run public charging points in Aiara so that both its partners and citizens can charge their electric vehicles.
 
The work began in January and is expected to be operational by the end of this year, so that the members and partners of the cooperative can benefit from their own energy. 
 
About EKIOLA Energia Sustapenak
EKIOLA is the result of private public collaboration between the Basque Energy Agency and the promoter engineering Krean, integrated in the Mondragon Corporation. 
 
The initiative aims to create energy communities in the cooperative model of the Basque Country, so that it is the citizens themselves who generate 100% of the electricity they need to meet their needs. In addition, the cooperative itself operates as a legal instrument for dealing with the energy future depending on its approach, and its members do not have to change any aspect of their domestic electrical installation. The installation of the solar photovoltaic plant has been designed for optimal performance and performance over 30 years.
 
The EKIOLA model is in line with the European Union’s policies which have set the target of 32% of the energy consumed being renewable by 2030. 
 
In the Cuadrilla de Ayala this project has the participation of the Provincial Council of Álava.
 
Interested parties may request information on the cooperative's own website www.aiarako.ekiola.eus by filling out a simple form indicating their annual consumption.
 
For more information consult the web: https://ekiola.eus/es/ayala-ekiola/