The case study presented during this thematic talk covers the involvement of citizen led cooperatives in the energy transition.
In the Netherlands, civilian cooperatives are facilitated by the government through the use of subsidies and tax benefits. In the case of BioZon, the organization targeted an old landfill where captured methane was used as an energy source. When the economic viability was waning, the cooperative took over the existing facility and retrofitted it with a smaller turbine, requiring less gas to be able to operate. Thanks to this, the project is designed to be able to run for a duration of 6 years on the methane produced (at decreasing rates) within the landfill.
The project is financed through issued shares which can be purchased by local residents. The produced electricity saves the participants energy, and also defers taxes.
This application, together with the rehabilitation of the landfill to a recreational area has helped the perception of the landfill transition from severely negative to a positive element of the community..
