Citizen Renewable Energy with OnCIMè and Lorient City
About this good practice
The “problem”
OnCIMè was created in 2015 by residents who wanted to collectively and concretely develop renewable energy in Lorient.
At the same time, the city of Lorient wishes to involve its residents in the development of renewable energy on public buildings and thus allow them to benefit from the economic spin-offs of the projects. There was also a desire to be able to develop a maximum of RE but with a limited investment budget...
The implementation of the objectives
The first project built together: the rental of photovoltaic panels to the City of Lorient to equip the roof of the Lorient City Hall and of a school.
This means that the citizens buy the solar panels and own them collectively through a citizen company (OnCIMè), which rents these panels to the city of Lorient.
The rental system allows the city to avoid making an investment but to integrate it into its operating costs.
Self-consumption is favoured, because the buildings equipped with these panels have a consumption adapted to the production of photovoltaic electricity.
The main stakeholders and beneficiaries of the practice are :
- OnCIMè with its 66 inhabitants who are involved in time and financially in this 1st project in partnership with the city of Lorient
- The city of Lorient and all its inhabitants for the reduction of investment costs and GHG emissions in the electricity consumed by the city.
Resources needed
Cost for OnCIMè : purchase the panels: 38 750€. About ten active volunteers to implement the project on OnCIMè's side.
Strong commitment from the city of Lorient with a very involved director. Also, the city took charge of the installation and trained its own staff to develop skills internally.
Evidence of success
Two other projects were set up under the same model with the city of Lorient. 73 new inhabitants joined the project by investing part of their savings.
Potential for learning or transfer
This project is interesting because it is easy to implement and reproducible. Citizens invest in a company that buys panels and rents them to any public or private actor.This avoids the need for the latter to invest, as the costs are integrated into the operating budget.
It is a solution that also facilitates the local self-consumption of the electricity produced.
Citizens actively participate in the development of renewable energy without having to have a house that can accommodate solar panels.
Further information
Good practice owner
You can contact the good practice owner below for more detailed information.
Local Climate and Energy Agency of South Brittany