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Patagonia promotes community-led energy

Words by Smiley Team

As one of the world’s most sustainable clothing retailers, Patagonia has launched We the Power, a campaign website and documentary to highlight the necessity of community-driven energy projects. 

Localised power production involves groups of citizens producing their own renewable energy to share the financial benefits among the community. Patagonia’s campaign sheds light on the advantages to people and the planet that this clean energy transformation would offer. 

It takes viewers on a tour around projects in Germany, Spain and the UK that are leading the drive for putting power literally in the hands of the people.

“This is a win-win situation, whereby local, renewable energy production puts money directly into local communities, and speeds up the creation of a cleaner, healthier future for our children,” said Beth Thoren, Environmental Action and Initiatives Director at Patagonia. 

“Patagonia is committing - through our voice, our support for grassroots groups across Europe and our actions as a responsible business - to advocating for this revolution in energy.” 

Indeed, the California-based company has contributed more than $110 million in grants and in-kind donations to date as part of its commitment to environmental activism.




Power to the people

Europe’s drive for community-led energy consists of around one million citizens, involved either as members, investors or customers of energy communities. By 2050, this number could soar to 260 million citizens running energy projects that could produce up to 45 per cent of Europe's electricity. 

The We the Power campaign asks European citizens to take power out of the hands of energy monopolies to create a community-owned, renewable energy system, from which they’d gain local jobs, reduced energy bills, a healthier environment and a stronger social fabric. 

With an aim to empower citizens, the campaign urges everyone to switch their electricity provider to a community-owned, renewable energy source. 

The 30-minute film features environmental changemakers Dirk Vansintjan, the founder and president of Europe-wide federation of community energy cooperatives REScoop. It also highlights the work of Sebastian Sladek, promoting clean energy in Germany, alongside Agamemnon Otero OBE, founding director of Repowering London and Energy Garden and Nuri Palmada, board member of Spanish energy community Som Energia. 

Find out how to get involved here.

This article aligns with the following UN SDGs

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