In 2010, Gijsbert Huijink, a resident of rural Girona, Spain, was frustrated by the lack of electricity access. He installed solar panels on his home, discovering how feasible it was to generate his own power. Hoping to install a wind turbine, he looked for a local energy cooperative to join, but found none focused on both renewable production and consumption in all of Spain. 

Driven by this gap, Huijink and friends launched Som Energia, the country’s first renewable energy cooperative, with a campaign to find 350 initial members. Six years later, Som Energia had expanded to 27,000 members, generating enough renewable energy to meet the annual needs of 3,200 families. Despite legislative barriers and a financial crisis, Huijink’s team succeeded by building a cooperative powered by community commitment and member contributions. Som Energia produces electricity from diverse renewable sources, including solar, wind, and biogas, funded entirely by voluntary contributions from its members. Operating as a grassroots, horizontal organization, Som Energia empowers local groups in towns across Spain to shape the cooperative’s direction. Its innovative model provides electricity at a lower cost than traditional market prices.

By embracing a self-sustaining model, Som Energia was able to install its first solar project in Lleida, followed by eight additional projects across Spain. Members can invest in the cooperative, receiving compensation through reduced electricity bills, which keeps the project’s benefits within the community.

Today, Som Energia continues to inspire others with its community-centered, resilient approach, showing that even in restrictive environments, people can come together to build a renewable-powered future for all.