Enercoop

Enercoop is a Cooperative society of Collective interest (SCIC) SA with variable capital, aiming at the development of renewable energies in France. It has as an principal activity the supply of renewable electricity of origin.

This activity falls under the context of the opening of the energy market impelled by Brussels, which led to a separation of the activities of transport (which remain a public monopoly) and of supply of energy.

The private individuals (since July 2007) and the professionals (since 2004) can freely choose their supplier of electricity.

The co-operative form of Enercoop makes it possible to gather producing and consuming in order to guarantee a commercial traceability of electricity (the physical traceability of the electrons being impossible). What is invoiced with the consumers is transferred with the green producers of the co-operative.

Enercoop gathers professionals of renewable energies in addition, associations citizens, local government agencies, actors of the social economy and interdependent (Enercoop is approved undertaken interdependent).

Enercoop dissociates other suppliers at the same time by his co-operative form and its offer of ethical electricity and 100% green.

History

At the origin of Enercoop,

an work group of a score of actors resulting from the world of renewable energies, associations citizens and interdependent economy: the CLER (Committee of Connection of Renewable energies), the Company of the Wind, Spaces Wind Development (wind), Solagro (biogas), Hespul (photovoltaic), the network of the Biocoop stores, Agir associations for the Environment, Greenpeace France, the Friends of the Earth, etc…

an ambitious objective: to act concretely to develop renewable energies in France and to incite with the control of energy.

At the end of 2005, Enercoop officializes its existence, deposits its name and obtains the statute of SCIC. This statute delivered by the prefecture recognizes the social utility and the collective interest of Enercoop. September 2006, Enercoop receives approval “undertaken interdependent” and starts to deliver its first consumers.

Objectives

The primary goal of Enercoop is to develop the renewable electrical production of origin and to support the responsible energy behaviors in the consumers.

With this intention, Enercoop aims making renewable energies more competitive by developing their market and at encouraging with the reduction of consumption.

To develop the energy market renewable amongst other things consists in gathering the consumers ready to provide themselves exclusively near green producers and to support the investments.

Enercoop wishes to impel and support collective investments in order to locally develop new green means of production (wind, biogas, solar and hydraulic).

Goal of new local energy policy: " In an objective of decentralization of the production and decisions, the idea is in the long term to repeat this model at the local level and to join together elected, consumers, producers and associations in a step of decentralized public service. This model opens the possibility of building a new more viable local energy policy in the long run and more person in charge, to influence the things at the national level in the second time. "

Operation

Enercoop buys to electricity with producers of renewable electricity members of the co-operative.

Electricity is conveyed by the public network of transport and distribution, auprès whose Enercoop discharges a right of access proportional to its use.

Electricity is then invoiced with the ultimate consumer at a price including the cost of energy and the cost of access to the network.

Equitable trade

The marketing of electricity by Enercoop falls under the concept of equitable trade. Electricity is bought to the producers at the price right: different according to the dies (hydraulics, wind, photovoltaic, biogas), the price is fixed to allow a sufficient return on investment to ensure the development of each die. By paying this price right, the consumer takes part concretely in the development of renewable energies.

Group decision

The SCIC is a new form of social company which fits in the current of the social economy and interdependent and which makes it possible to associate those and those which want to act together in the same project. In the organization of Enercoop, producers and consuming electricity have the same rights. More precisely, the co-operative is structured in 6 colleges: producers, consumers, employees, carrying project, partners and local government agencies. They all are represented with the Board of directors. In each college, the decisions are made on the democratic principle “a person = a voice”. Today, Enercoop gathers more than 500 members.

Use of the benefit

The statutes of Enercoop impose the reinvestment of the major part of the benefit in new means of production and services of control of energy. The capital held by the members of the co-operative cannot be remunerated with more than 4,5%.

First assessment

The year 2006 will have been remembered by the effective starting of the activity of Enercoop, on September 1st. In less than three months, nearly 200 consumers joined Enercoop.

Consuming

200 consumers already subscribed to the green offer 100% of Enercoop (900 000 kWh annual approximately). It acts farmers, liberal professions, associations and private individuals carrying on an community activity in residence.

Producing

8 producers producing more than 1.000.000 kWh annual: 1 hydroelectric station, 1 small wind mill and 6 photovoltaic solar roofs.

Members

530 members joined the co-operative, which carries the authorized capital to 232.000 €

Subsidies

Foundation of France, District council Ile de France, Macif Foundation, Foundation Check Lunch. Partnerships Convention with the District council of Island-of France, Convention with the clubs Cicadas, ethical Charter of the IUT…

Team

Enercoop counts today four paid.

Outlines

For the next years, Enercoop has ambitious developmental perspectives but nevertheless realistic. In term of users, Enercoop aims to feed in renewable electricity at the beginning of 2009 nearly 10.000 consumers of electricity, including more than 4000 on Paris and its area.

The number of producers admitted within Enercoop will increase simultaneously to guarantee balance between “green” energy injected on the distribution network and quantities tapped by the users of the co-operative.

Web site

http://www.enercoop.fr

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