People Power Up

Powering up Friends of the Earth Malta’s efforts on community energy, increasing the share of local renewables, and contributing to energy democracy!
Sep’ 24 to Feb’ 25

The People Power Up project aims to power up Friends of the Earth Malta’s work on community energy. One of the main solutions we propose for our energy system – still 90% based on fossil fuels – is the idea of renewable energy communities, which are citizen-owned and democratic organisations that work on common renewable energy or energy efficiency projects. Our aim is to set up the first renewable energy community in Malta, to introduce this concept locally, and prepare the ground for other initiatives, with a view to increase the share of renewable energy generated locally and contribute to energy democracy! 

Through the People Power Up project, we will produce a scoping report which highlights the  barriers and potential of community energy in Malta and provides a step-by-step guide for how to set up a renewable energy community in Malta. This scoping report will be launched at the end of the project through a public event, including government stakeholders. 

Renewable energy communities enable households and families to generate energy collectively on a not-for-profit basis. A renewable energy cooperative can give an opportunity to people who do not have access to rooftops and/or who are at risk of energy poverty, to collectively own PV panels on public or private rooftops and to make decisions together on how to distribute any financial surpluses, with a view to open membership to more people and venture into other energy-related initiatives. Profits are not the primary motivation, instead most of the returns are reinvested in the community’s activities. Energy communities thus do not only increase the share of renewables, but also democratise the energy system. The potential of community energy is recognised and promoted by the EU, most notably through the Renewable Energy Directive, which defines renewable energy communities and sets an obligation for member states to create an enabling framework for community energy.

This project is funded by Malta Environment Foundation.