• The Citizen Cooperative for the Generation and Consumption of Solar Energy EKIOLA of Ayala will be in Amurrio and will produce 1,550 MWh per year, enough to meet the energy needs of 700 families or small businesses in this territory.
  • AIARAKO EKIOLA is expected to produce a 0 km renewable energy by the beginning of 2025.

In a meeting held in Amurrio, with the visit to the plot that will house the solar power plant after the end of the meeting and after more than two years of study and processing work, the campaign has begun to open the possibility of participating in the energy cooperative EKIOLA DE AYALA to the public.
 
The Director General of the Basque Energy Agency (EVE), Iñigo Ansola, the Deputy of Sustainability, Agriculture and Natural Environment of the Provincial Council of Álava, Amaia Barredo, the KREAN engineering company of the MONDRAGON Group, Odei Arzak, and the Mayor of Amurerra, Mohan, participated in the meeting. The meeting took stock of the current state of play of the project that began this opening phase and provided for guaranteed production of 1,550 MWh/year thanks to the project.
 
In order to attract and incorporate the citizens and small businesses of the region to the cooperative that will manage the new solar power production plant for self-supply, AIARAKO EKIOLA begins this new phase of socialization. 
 
The project aims to have 700 cooperatives and the construction of a photovoltaic solar park will be an “opportunity” for them, both for the economic benefits that Ekiola Aiaraldea will bring and for the environmental and social benefits that it will bring. 
 
For an average consumer of 2,200 kWh per year, the contribution to the cooperative will be approximately EUR 1,900, to generate annual energy identical to that consumed. This complies with one of the fundamental principles of Ekiola, which is that cooperatives are sovereign of 100% of electricity demand over the period of one year. 

The estimated average energy price of UROLA AYALA will be approximately € 30,00/MWh (excluding charges, taxes and tolls) during the first year (annual increase of the CPI) and the lifetime of the project is expected to be 30 years, which will mean long-term energy generation at a very attractive cost.
 
Briefings will be held in the municipalities of Aiaraldea to begin the phase of opening the project to the citizens in mid-May. In these sessions, in addition to exposing concrete project data, people who present their current electricity bill will have the opportunity to receive a personalized report assessing whether or not they want to be members of the cooperative. This report contains detailed information on the conditions for their participation and will in any case depend on the consumption of each family.
 
In addition, EKIOLA AYALA extends its offer to small businesses, self-employed and primary sector holdings with consumption and electrical needs similar to those of consumption and household needs.
 
The energy cooperative will also enable public charging points in Ayala so that its partners and neighbours can charge their electric vehicles.
 
The PV solar project will start in June and it is expected that the facility will be operational early next year and that the partners of the cooperative will be able to enjoy their own energy.
 
About EKIOLA Energy Promotions
 
EKIOLA is the result of the public-private collaboration between the Basque Energy Agency, the Provincial Council of Álava and the engineering company KREAN, belonging to the Mondragon Corporation. The objective of this initiative is to create energy communities in the cooperative model of the Basque Country, so that the citizens can generate 100% of the electricity necessary to meet their needs. In addition, the cooperative itself functions as a legal instrument to address the energy future according to its own approaches, and its members should not change anything from their domestic electrical installation. The installation of the solar park has a performance and performance guarantee for 30 years.
 
The EKIOLA model, in line with EU policies, sets a target for 32% of energy consumed to be of renewable origin by 2030. Both self-consumption and the generation of energy communities are models to adopt in the transition to another energy model. Ekiola has been established as an energy promotion company in this area. Through this project, the cooperatives will own the energy they generate and the citizens will create, promote and consume their own energy.
 
For more information, visit www.ekiola.eus