Ecopower (cooperative)

Ecopower is a Belgian cooperative founded in 1991, financing renewable energy projects in Flanders.

History

Since the liberalisation of the energy market in Flanders (July 2003) Ecopower became a supplier of green electricity produced in Belgium. At the end of 2010 1% of the Flemish households were supplied by Ecopower.[1][2][3] It inspired other energy cooperatives across Europe.[4]

Activities

The cooperative buys and builds renewable electricity units, such as wind turbines and water turbines, in Belgium.[3][5] Projects in recent years include the placement of wind turbines in Eeklo, Gistel and Ghent, and the placement of hydroelectric turbines in Rotselaar, Hoegaarden and Overijse. In 2020, Ecopower and ECoOB (another cooperative) initiated a solar-energy project in Leuven, by building solar installations on 10 public roofs and offering citizens the opportunity to become co-owners.[6]


The cooperative claims 50000 members in 2017.[7] 40 % of Ecopower clients have installed solar panels on their buildings.[8]


Ecopower is member of the Belgium group of renewable cooperatives REScoop.be and the European group of renewable cooperatives REScoop.eu.

Ecopower has the Parque Eólico Chiloé project in Chiloé Island, southern Chile.[9]

References
  1. (pse). "DE NIEUWE ENERGIEMAKERS (1). Albertkanaal is de toekomst". De Standaard.
  2. "I D A E - ECOPOWER brings together Flemish citizens to invest in renewable energy".
  3. "En Belgique, la petite Ecopower turbine fort". liberation.fr (in French).
  4. Elsa Panadès (19 January 2018). "Le Pays Catalan, vitrine des énergies renouvelables ?". france3-regions.francetvinfo.fr (in French). Retrieved 2018-12-07.
  5. Wiebe Eekman (11 April 2015). "Ecopower viert op algemene vergadering vier nieuwe windmolens in Asse". dewereldmorgen.be (in Dutch). Retrieved 2018-12-07.
  6. Official website
  7. Joanna Roberts (13 February 2017). "Cutting out the middleman in renewable energy". horizon-magazine.eu. Retrieved 2018-12-07.
  8. "Renewable energy co-operatives: Europe can literally be powered by its people". euronews.com. 31 January 2017. Retrieved 2018-12-07.
  9. "Fisco demandó a empresa aerogeneradora eléctrica Ecopower por no pagar arriendo en Chiloé". Radio Cooperativa (in Spanish). April 7, 2019. Retrieved June 3, 2020.
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