Energy community of La Serna, Palencia

By project EAGER

Published on 18 March 2025

Spain

Castilla y León

La Serna

About this good practice

Energy consumption for the provision of public services—such as street lighting—in the context of a small town with limited economic resources represents a significant investment. In this regard, energy generation through renewable sources can play a fundamental role. While meeting energy needs, it also reduces consumption costs from the conventional grid, producing clean energy.
Current photovoltaic technology has the advantage of being installable on almost any infrastructure. For this reason, the residents of La Serna decided to place solar panels on the roof of an agricultural warehouse. With the installed capacity, they are able to supply the necessary energy for the town’s lighting and other public services.
As part of the energy community, the residents of La Serna own the photovoltaic installation and the energy production it generates, with shares ranging from 1% to 5%. Out of the 120 inhabitants, 90 participate in the project.

Expert opinion

Energy communities are excellent tools for empowering citizens to take part in the energy transition, with communities able to benefit directly from the installations. The high participation in this practice is impressive, with a large part of the local community taking part. Other regions can learn from La Serna, as the practice demonstrates how decentralised energy can be managed at the local level and demonstrates how such projects can stimulate local economic development. The European Union is actively supporting the roll-out of energy communities, and all EU countries are establishing supportive frameworks which can make this a highly replicable practice of benefit for many regions.

Simon Hunkin

Works at Interreg Europe Policy Learning Platform

Resources needed

For the installation, an investment of around 100,000 euros has been made; however, with the revenue it generates for the town hall, a new job position has been created.

Evidence of success

The energy community, initiated by the local government and supported by most citizens, is particularly significant as La Serna is a small rural village facing depopulation, a common issue in these region of Spain. This innovative approach helps stabilize the population, create jobs, and reduce public spending, redirecting funds to essential services. The project has received national awards for citizen participation.

Potential for learning or transfer

This initiative of creating an energy community with the village residents serves as a model project for the hundreds of municipalities facing the same population and funding challenges as La Serna. Following the public exposure gained through the awards won, the village mayor has received multiple requests for assistance from his counterparts seeking to begin the necessary processes to establish energy communities in their own municipalities.
As part of the energy community, the village residents decide the project's future steps, benefit from the energy generated and its profitability, while also strengthening cooperation and reinforcing the sense of community.