L'Escala opens a competition to transfer municipal solar energy to families and businesses

An innovative model of collective self-consumption

The Plenary of the Escala Town Council initially approved, at its ordinary session of 27 July 2026, the regulatory bases for a tender for the temporary transfer of participation shares in municipal photovoltaic solar installations. The agreement is published in Official Gazette of the Province of Girona number 158, dated 18 August 2026 (official reference: CVE BOP-2026_0_158_7271), and is open for public inspection for thirty working days.

The aim is for families, individuals and SMEs in the municipality to be able to subscribe to a local energy community, consuming electricity generated by municipal solar panels and injecting the surplus into the grid, with monthly compensation on the electricity bill. This is a mechanism covered by Royal Decree 244/2019, which regulates self-consumption of electrical energy.

The Escola Empúries installation

The first infrastructure subject to transfer will be the photovoltaic installation located at the Escola Empúries, with an installed peak power of 75.66 kWp and a nominal power of 75 kW. The installation, commissioning and maintenance tasks will be managed entirely by the Town Council.

The system operates under the surplus mode eligible for compensation, within the framework of nearby collective self-consumption through the grid. This means that each participant can consume the energy generated at the time of its production and receive financial compensation for the surplus injected into the electricity grid.

Requirements for participation

Natural or legal persons who meet the requirements defined in the specific call may apply for these licences. At present, the basic legal condition is that the electricity supply point (CUPS) must be located less than 2,000 metres in orthogonal projection from the generation meter of the photovoltaic installations.

Applicants must provide documentation including a standard application form, a copy of the latest electricity bill, an identity document and authorisation from the CUPS holder if they do not coincide with the applicant. SMEs may justify their status by means of a responsible declaration.

Duration, fee and procedure

The licences will have an initial duration of one year, automatically renewable up to a maximum of four years, subject to payment of the current fee regulated in the corresponding fiscal ordinance. The licences will be personal and non-transferable, but may be changed if the holder changes residence, provided they remain within the 2,000-metre radius.

The procedure will be instructed by the Secretariat service of the City Council and resolved by the Local Government Board. If the number of applications exceeds the available power, the City Council reserves the right to modify the type of fee to serve a higher number of citizens. Claims and suggestions may be submitted during thirty business days at the municipal electronic headquarters.

A step towards local energy transition

L’Escala thus joined the growing trend of Catalan municipalities that promote their own energy communities to advance in the energy transition and reduce the electricity bills of their residents. The spirit is to democratize access to renewable energies, avoiding that only those who can install panels on their roofs benefit from them. The initiative can also represent significant savings for families as well as for businesses and SMEs in the municipality.

Source: Official Bulletin of the Province of Girona, number 158, 18 August 2026, Local Administration section – City Councils, pp. 1-7 (official reference: CVE BOP-2026_0_158_7271).