The renewable energy community (Cer), an integral ecology promoted by the Diocese, was established in front of the notary Paolo Castellari and has among its founders, in addition to the Diocese itself, the Marri S. Umiltà Foundation, the Episcopal Seminary, the Faenza real estate company and 9 parishes of the territory.
The energy community, which was established in a cooperative form, concerns the territory in which the Diocese of Faenza Modigliana operates
«This new cooperative – underlines the bishop, Monsignor Mario Toso – is a community first of all: a relevant group of subjects who perceive themselves as a body in motion for a common goal. A popular movement: it is the community that organizes itself from below to take on a need and a new organization. We live the principle of subsidiarity. Furthermore, it is energy-renewable: it responds to the need for the energy transition towards the abandonment of polluting fossil sources and towards renewable ones. Every family and every community must have the opportunity to participate in the energy transition process and have access to that asset which has now become essential such as energy.”
«The Social Week of Catholics, which will take place in Trieste at the beginning of July – concludes Monsignor Toso -, will deal with participation in democracy. If participating in democracy means taking responsibility for one’s own work, social and political action, then even the decision to become members of the integral ecology energy community can be conceived as a concrete action of social participation.”
The technical project initially involves the construction of several photovoltaic systems in Faenza, Brisighella and Solarolo. The photovoltaic systems will be built mainly on the roofs of the diocesan buildings and will provide a power of 200 kWh in Faenza, 60 kWh in Brisighella and 150 kWh in Solarolo.
The Energy Community will be open immediately to all citizens, businesses and entrepreneurs. Those interested can make their photovoltaic systems available or participate with their own consumption in sharing the electricity produced by the energy community. There are already many parishes that have expressed their interest in joining the new cooperative and these will be the main disseminators of the initiative and its opportunities among private citizens.
Compatibly with the timing of the bureaucracy, it is estimated that the first plants will be functional and ready to supply electricity between the end of 2024 and the first months of 2025. After the start-up of the first plants, we will proceed with the design and development of other primary substations which will affect other territories of the Diocese.
Confcooperative Romagna played a key role: «We accompanied the Diocese in this year and a half of planning by offering advice on the regulations that were updated month after month», underlined Andrea Pazzi, director of Confcooperative.
