Crowdfunding begins for first energy cooperative–owned solar power plants in Serbia

The Elektropionir energy cooperative started a crowdfunding campaign to build two solar power plants in villages on the Stara planina mountain. The entire income will be directed to the community.

Serbia is about to get its first solar power plants run by a cooperative. They will be set up on the roofs of the local council building in Temska and on the cultural center in the village of Dojkinci in the country’s southeast.

There is unlimited solar energy in Serbia and it is available to everyone, rather than to a chosen few, said Ana Džokić (pictured middle in the headline photograph) from the Elektropionir energy cooperative. It enables the decentralization of energy production and the inclusion of various participants in the energy transition, which is necessary for society to overcome the already evident impact of climate change, she pointed out.

“The biggest obstacle is that the production of energy in solar panels still has a cost. It is necessary to secure a certain amount of money. Administrative conundrums that need to be solved to make the switch to solar energy a reality are the second obstacle. For now, only some pioneers, enthusiasts, are active in solar. They have been waiting for a long time to start producing and to connect their units – to generate their own power and deliver it to the grid. Simpler procedures are necessary for an expansion,” Ana Džokić stressed.

Energy has to be clean and can be community-owned

In cooperation with the locals from the two villages on the Stara planina mountain and the City of Pirot, Elektropionir started its Solarna Stara crowdfunding campaign. The funds it collects will be used to build solar power plants that would be run by the cooperative and the entire income will be directed to the local community.

Elektropionir: All citizens can be the drivers of the transition to sustainable energy

With the campaign, Elektropionir intends to show all citizens can be the drivers of the transition to sustainable energy and that such a position isn’t reserved only for major investors. Energy has to be clean and can be community-owned, the statement adds.

Half of amount already raised

Citizens can directly help by donating through the Donacije.rs platform. The entire income from the sale of electricity from the rooftop photovoltaic units will be given to local groups and organizations for activities that improve the community’s wellbeing. The project is worth EUR 14,300 in total.

The project is worth EUR 14,300 in total.

Members of Elektropionir, founded in 2019, already raised half of the entire amount from donors and own funds. The energy cooperative said it would use any surplus money to plan and raise more for the construction of larger solar power plants.