RHEDCOOP

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The switch to an energy-efficient building is often too slow due to practical and financial obstacles, especially in private homes, public buildings and municipal facilities. Mobilization of citizens and the creation of sufficient involvement appear to be important bottlenecks. An additional challenge is to reach less wealthy citizens and to include less profitable renovation projects. Customized care therefore plays a key role. Energy (citizen) cooperatives have the potential to make leaps forward here. Many cooperatives already exist in both Belgium and the Netherlands. Until now, some such as Ecopower, Beauvent or Zeeuwind have succeeded in growing into a professional company. In RHEDCOOP, through the complementary expertise of the partners involved, work is being done on the development of an innovative Energy Services Company (ESCo) model. This model has a social purpose in which cooperatives are at the helm. It creates the necessary profitability for them so that professionalization becomes possible. The entire partnership requires intensive cooperation between energy (citizen) cooperatives, owners, civil society organizations, knowledge institutions, companies and governments where a full menu of measures is established before and after the meter, at home and neighborhood level. RHEDCOOP sets up eleven demonstration projects to enable cooperatives to gain sufficient experience and knowledge. For example, an organization form will be organized within the Middelburg-Zeeuwind cooperative for a heat network system in a residential area for around 30 houses. A model for the sustainability and installation of renewable energy for family homes and social housing is provided for RESCoop Ghent.

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