OurPower

The OurPower Energiegenossenschaft SCE mbH is an emerging energy cooperative in Austria operating a countrywide peer-to-peer marketplace for renewable electricity generated by its members. The marketplace enables customers to purchase electricity directly from power plants in their region since August 2019.

This turns the purchase of electricity into a relationship. OurPower handles the online matching services as well as the whole process of electricity supply and billing. OurPower’s portfolio of generators will comprise of all kinds of embedded renewable energy generators from small rooftop solar PV, a small wind farm and several small hydropower plants to biomass plants. In addition, OurPower develops citizen energy projects and accompanies pilots in the establishment of their own energy communities. Community building reinforcement is the main approach. Therefore, OurPower closely cooperates with communities and with energy and climate model regions.

To make a difference, we, the citizens, must take our energy market into our own hands.

Ulfert Höhne

Master of Ceremony

Our Story

Where/How did you first get the idea to start your energy community?

Ulfert Höhne, one of the three board members of OurPower, came up with the idea about OurPower more than five years ago: a marketplace that turns the purchase of electricity into a relationship. To create a marketplace where you can sell the electricity from your own roof to your neighbours. If you live next to a wind farm, you should be able to buy electricity directly from that wind farm and know that the money is actually going there, staying in the region, and thus bringing dynamism to the energy transition.

In October 2018, OurPower was finally founded by the 19 founders, as one thing was clear: to realize their idea, they needed the power of the many. Today, over 200 renewable energy producers sell their electricity to over 1,000 electricity customers.

What makes your energy community special?

As a common good-oriented electricity cooperative, we are the first citizen energy community in Austria and are powerfully and collectively committed to our mission of achieving the goal of 100% renewable energy in the electricity sector by 2030 in Austria. To achieve the energy transition, we need to radically rethink the energy market. At the heart of this is the democratization of the electricity market – away from corporate interests, towards the interests of the citizens.

What is your superpower?

OurPower gives citizens the opportunity to handle the energy transition themselves. It is no longer necessary to buy electricity anonymously from big power suppliers. Instead, new ways are needed to fight climate change. We at OurPower build a new basis for this – a marketplace where people can buy and sell electricity directly, can invest in power plants and invest together in the energy future.

Youtube Video: OurPower – Die EnergieCooperative

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