Slovenian town to build solar power plants on public buildings to supply citizens

The Slovenian Municipality of Ajdovščina has invited residents to apply to connect to five solar power plants it intends to install on the roofs of public buildings, in cooperation with state-owned electricity supplier and trader GEN-I.

After a successful pilot project – the first self-sufficient energy community in Slovenia – GEN-I now plans to equip five more public buildings in Ajdovščina with solar panels by the end of 2023, to will be available to all interested consumers, according to an announcement from the municipal authorities.

The five solar power plants will be able to supply 100 homes

The total projected installed capacity of the five facilities is 870 kW, enough to connect about 100 households. Local residents will have priority, but GEN-I will look for interested parties outside the municipality if there is not enough interest in Ajdovščina. The call for non-binding applications is open until September 15.

Ajdovščina residents will have priority, but GEN-I will look elsewhere if the demand is weak

The facilities where the solar power plants will be installed include two schools, a kindergarten, and a football stadium.

In the announcement, the local authority said the advantages of connecting to a solar power plant would include savings in electricity costs, environmentally friendly green energy, a guaranteed monthly usage fee, and a reduced carbon footprint.

In 2021, GEN-I launched a solar energy service for self-consumption for households that were unable to install photovoltaic panels on their own roofs. The GEN-I’s Solar Community project allowed citizens to lease solar panels, lowering their electricity bills.