The ministry said that under the proposal, self-supply of electricity from renewables would not longer be enabled only to owners of single-apartment buildings or business buildings, but also to various types of communities.

These include residents of multi-household residential buildings or residents in households standing close to each other.

A solar power plant could be set up on the roof of an adjacent building, for example a kindergarten or a fire station, and the power it produces would be considered as produced by the community which had set it up.

They would make an agreement in advance what share of energy produced would belong to each member of the community, the ministry added.

The possibility of extended self-supply of electricity would have a positive impact on the economy, as it would facilitate the development of the solar energy industry, as well as reduce the burden on the electricity network.

The solution also enables Slovenia to come closer to the objective of reaching a 25% share of renewable energy in the gross final consumption of energy by 2020, the ministry said.

While the interested public has until 21 January to send their comments and remarks, the proposal has already been welcomed by the environmental NGOs Focus and Greenpeace Slovenija and the Association of Slovenian Municipalities.

The idea was announced by Infrastructure Ministry Alenka Bratušek as she presented her bid to the relevant committee in September. She promoted the option of energy cooperatives for multi-household residential buildings, saying that "this is absolutely necessary and right."