Description

MES Barcelona (Barcelona Sustainable Energy Mechanism) is a tool to support and accelerate the city’s energy transition alongside private investors. This project’s promoter, Solaris (Solaris Mes Barcelona Eco 2024) is a company created as part of MES Barcelona aiming primarily at the residential market.

This campaign aims to finance a photovoltaic plant for collective self-consumption in Barcelona. 

The photovoltaic plant will have a total of 10,1 kW of installed power, which will allow it to produce 15 MWh of clean energy per year. The photovoltaic system will include 20 solar panels, one inverter, and a support structure.

This project will be implemented within the MES Barcelona program:

MES Barcelona has been set up to reaffirm the municipal commitment towards energy transformation. The initiative is the result of an agreement between the municipal government, and two political parties (ERC, and JxCat). The United Nations has recognised MES Barcelona as the most sustainable public-private collaboration initiative out of 70 models under consideration.

MES Barcelona is a funding tool to help boost the city’s energy transition through private initiatives. The tool focuses on both large and small areas, from rooftops of industrial units to residential buildings, to make the investments manageable and scalable at the same time.  

Funding includes 50 million euros of the municipal budget and the plan to attract an aditional 166 million euros from private for energy renovation projects and the installation of solar panelling. This multiplying effect of the municipal investment and the projects developed throughtout the city are expected to lead to a 66% increase in the current generation of local renewable energy.

Interested owners can register on the MES Barcelona website so that energy investment companies can study the feasibility of projects to install solar panelling and other energy renovation measures in buildings.

The City Council requires investors, such as Solaris to implement solar panelling and energy renovation projects where the business model does not involve co-funding from citizens or building owners. Investors will assume 100% of the investment and get it back thanks to the energy savings generated by the projects funded, according to the ESCO model. The City Council’s entry into this specific project is expected for the second half of the year.

The owners of the building will not have to make any disbursement or payment. In fact, depending on the type of project decided on and each individual case, they may even enjoy savings on their energy bills.

Once the contracted period has ended, and in the case of the solar panel installations, the owners of the building will then own the installed infrastructure themselves, according to the terms of the contract. From the onwards the entire energy and cost savings produced will be theirs to enjoy. (solar panels currently last around 25 years).

In addition, associated members will benefit from a 50% IBI (annual property tax) reduction for three years. Anyone can join the initiative as long as they reside in the city of Barcelona and their rooftop allows for the installation of photovoltaic panels.

The Impact

• Contribution to the decarbonisation of Spain, avoiding CO2 emissions: With a total production of clean energy of over 15 MWh per year, the solar plant will avoid the emission of about 1,5 tonnes of CO2 per year. This is equivalent to the CO2 absorption of 68 trees.
• Cost reduction for the end customer: decentralized energy production through renewable sources, close to the place of consumption, helps to avoid distribution costs, this being the most competitive option. In addition, the company's lower dependence on the national grid makes it less vulnerable to price fluctuations and tax charges.
• Promoting affordable access to green energy for all: The mechanism through which this PPA will advance (MES Barcelona) ensures the beneficiaries have no initial costs. A partnership between Barcelona Municipality and private investors advance the instalment of the equipment. The investment is then recovered not through payment by the owners of the buildings but through the savings resulting from a more sustainable consumption. At the end of the contract (in this case 15 years) the equipment is owned by the building – a solar panel has an average use life of 25 years.
• Promoting the modernization of infrastructures, making them more sustainable: The programme delivers significant added value to both the municipality of Barcelona and it’s citizens by modernizing the building stock and reducing it’s overall carbon footprint. By transforming underused urban spaces—such as rooftops—into productive sources of clean energy, it demonstrates a practical path towards a more sustainable urban future.

Impact Indicators

1.51 T

CO2 avoided per year

15.12 Mwh

clean energy

Contribution to the Sustainable
Development Goals

Sustainable Development Goals

Financial viability

Download the Financial Statements for the promoter here

Download Key Investment Information Sheet

The Promoter

About Solaris Mes Barcelona Eco 2024

MES Barcelona is the Barcelona City Council's energy transformation plan which, with the help of private investors, allows photovoltaic panels to be installed on Barcelona's buildings without the owners having to make an initial investment, since once the energy sales contract has been concluded, the panels become the property of the owners free of charge.

Solaris Mes Barcelona Eco 2024 is a private company created as part of MES Barcelona, positioned to becoming an investor focused primarily at the residential market. It is currently owned by three shareholders:

• LC Ventures - Portuguese fund focused on technology and renewable energy companies.
• Eco2Next - Barcelona company specialising in photovoltaic installations in residential buildings.
• Cleanwatts - company specialising in solar community management software.

The City Council of Barcelona (Ajuntament de Barcelona) will become a shareholder of the SPV Solaris during the first semester of 2025, as planned and approved in a plenary session that you can find here.

Business Model

Updates