The energy model of Osona that impresses Europe

While the debate on the energy transition in Catalonia often gets bogged down in the conflict between the territory and large private operators, in Osona and Lluçanès they have decided to write their own script. The Nova Energia Osona project has become one of the three finalists for the European Sustainable Energy Awards 2026, a nomination that enshrines a model based on public control and citizen participation that already brings together 50 municipalities and 175,000 inhabitants.

The objective is as ambitious as it is concrete: to reduce carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions by 42% by 2027. But what has captivated Brussels to choose it as one of the finalists is not just the figure, but the method. The initiative does not depend on large investment funds, but on an alliance between local administrations –articulated through the Osona Local Energy Agency (ALEO)– and a network of more than 30 energy communities that already comprise 2,000 households.

A model based on the social dimension

Unlike large-scale projects, driven by external interests that often generate little local impact, Osona has opted for democratization. The model is articulated through a three-way alliance: the town councils, the energy communities, and the advice of ALEO.

But how is it achieved that 50 municipalities of opposing political colors row in the same direction? For Moisès Subirana, head of the project, the key is not ideology, but the trust accumulated over twenty years of ALEO's work. "All the mayors have our number and we have theirs. It's a very close contact that means that, far from grand speeches, we try concrete things from an emotional bond," he explains.

This particularity is what allows that, when an idea arises, the territory channels it immediately. The mechanism is ingenious: the town councils promote photovoltaic installations in municipal facilities and cede a part of them to the local energy community. In this way, while the council helps to reduce families' bills, the community – structured as a non-profit cooperative – obtains income to maintain the system and promote new projects, such as shared electric vehicles or joint purchasing of local biomass.

The return: from 10 to 80 euros for each euro invested

Participating is not just a matter of environmentalism; it is also an economic decision. "The person knows that the energy is 100% renewable and local, but also the prices are very competitive," Subirana stated in declarations to Empreses. The model has mobilized more than 50 million euros. Thanks to technical management that seeks subsidies and constant savings, the project generates a return of between 10 and 80 euros for every euro that local councils invest.

Furthermore, the project focuses on social justice. Through collaboration with social services, it is ensured that the transition leaves no one behind, allowing households in situations of energy poverty to also benefit from shared self-consumption.

The challenge of 2027 and the 'no' to megaprojects

Despite the success, Subirana is realistic about the 2027 goal –to reduce CO₂ emissions by 42%–. He acknowledges that, despite having done "a good job," the necessary upscaling depends on actors at the state and European level who still need to press the accelerator. He also recalled that it is complicated to measure real emissions on such a small scale. Nevertheless, the current results are undeniable: 216 active installations –70% of which are collective– and a 15% reduction in municipal consumption.

Beyond the borders of the region, Subirana argues that the Osona experience is "100% reproducible" and that they do nothing that cannot be exported to other European environments that wish to achieve the EU's climate objectives. However, he qualifies that Osona's success is not the result of a magic recipe, but rather a combination of political will and technical "capillarity" developed over more than two decades, which allows projects to be channeled as soon as an idea or a funding line emerges.

Being a finalist in Europe –the winner will be announced on June 9th– is, for Osona, a recognition of having moved from complaint to action. "Five years ago, megaprojects appeared that consumed the territory and created alarm. We not only said "no" to those projects, but we said "yes " to ours," concludes Subirana.