Community
A project “for” the municipality, not just “in” it
The benefit of green energy reaches every family.
Benefits for the municipality and people
Jobs, revenue and energy for every home
Jobs and a future for young people
Skilled jobs, a training centre and dual education: a reason to stay in, or return to, Loznitsa.
Revenue for the municipality
An annual contribution from the energy project for capital spending, social policy and the municipal fund.
Energy for every home
An energy community in which households in the villages where the investments are made receive free electricity.
Support for business and society
The municipality and local firms share green energy for business, public buildings, street lighting and water supply.
Smart villages
Fibre to the villages, telemedicine, electric mobility and digital services on the EU Smart Villages model.
Modern farming
Greenhouses with waste heat, sensors and data for local farmers: more value from every decare.
A community for local development
Everyone gives something and gets something
The energy community is the practical mechanism that makes the concept real. People, the municipality and business share not only energy but resources, supply chains and a common philosophy of development.
ZephyrNova does not stop at the fence of the industrial zone. This is how the energy community grows into a Community for Local Development.
- Householdsfree energy
- Local farmersa market for their produce and heat
- Companiesreliable suppliers, affordable energy and trained staff
- The municipalityrevenue and a new face
Shared energy
- An energy community of households, the municipality and local firms
- Free electricity for households in the villages where the investments are made, within an annual share provided by the renewable producers
- Rooftop renewables on schools, village halls and community centres
Shared resources
- Waste heat from the zone for greenhouses and public buildings
- Shared cold stores, dryers and farm machinery
- A training centre and lab open to local people and firms
Shared business chains
- Local farms supply raw materials for processing in the zone
- A shared local brand: “Made in Loznitsa with green energy”
- Local firms for transport, maintenance, security and services
Shared philosophy
- Sustainable development in harmony with nature and agriculture
- The EU smart villages model: fibre, digital services, mobility
- Open governance and an annual public report
Members: households · municipality · local firms and farmers · renewable producers · companies · schools and NGOs
Members
Who takes part and what they get
| Member | Contribution | Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Households | Membership, roofs for small renewable systems, a say in decisions | A free energy share, help with a home renewable system from the municipal fund |
| Loznitsa Municipality | Roofs of public buildings, coordination, applying to programmes | Lower bills for buildings, lighting and water supply; annual revenue |
| Local firms and farmers | Produce, services, flexible consumption | Cheaper energy, access to the zone’s supply chains, new customers |
| Renewable producers | An annual contribution and an energy share for the community | Public support, a stable environment, ESG reporting |
| Companies in the zone | Jobs, orders for local suppliers, training | Trained staff, local suppliers, community trust |
| Schools, community centres, NGOs | Education, outreach, volunteering | Modern programmes, energy for buildings, a livelier public life |
Steps
How the community will be built
Initiative group and founding
The municipality, village mayors, local firms and citizens found the community as a cooperative or another suitable legal form, with clear statutes and an equal vote for members.
The first own installations
Rooftop solar and batteries on schools, village halls and community centres: a quick, visible result.
Energy-share agreement
An agreement with renewable producers on an annual contribution and a free energy share for households in the villages where the investments are made.
Opening to households and firms
Bringing in households and local business; support from the municipal fund for home renewable systems for vulnerable families.
Community for local development
Expanding to shared resources, a producers’ cooperative, a local brand and a local development strategy.
Legal framework and funding
What the community stands on
| Instrument | Use for the community |
|---|---|
| Energy Act (Art. 92b) | Citizen energy community: members are citizens, SMEs and municipalities; generation, storage, efficiency, charging stations. Large companies cannot hold control. |
| Renewable Energy Act | Renewable energy community: own installations and energy sharing among members within the settlement. |
| Cooperatives Act / Non-Profit Legal Entities Act | Possible legal forms for founding the community. |
| CLLD / LEADER | A local development strategy that brings together energy, farming and social measures. |
| Social Climate Fund, LIFE, national programmes | Funding for rooftop renewables, energy efficiency and measures against energy poverty. |
Some secondary rules for energy sharing in communities are still being developed; the first steps are structured within current rules and contracts.
From an energy community to a community for local development
Energy is the beginning, not the goal. The goal is for Loznitsa to become a place where people stay, business grows and the benefits of the region’s natural resources are shared fairly among everyone who lives here.