In this thesis, energy cooperatives are discussed and how through them an individual can facilitate the use of renewable energy sources. Energy cooperatives are associations of individuals that through joint action reduce investment risks and the costs arising from such investments. One of the advantages of cooperatives is democratic rule, which means that one member equals one vote, so that each member has equal rigths if he/she wants to be active. There are eight energy cooperatives in the Republic of Croatia that operate in all the areas of sustainable development, mostly in the production of electricity from sun and wind. The same rules apply to all cooperatives throughout Europe, so the author deals with the largest European projects, some of which are located on the teritory of the Republic of Croatia. Projects from the REScoop energy cooperative, such as COMPILE, MECISE, FLEXCoop and other can greatly assist Croatia in achieving transition to the use of renewable energy sources in the easiest possible way. By educating the youth, but also the elderly who want to reduce bills for consumption and ensure a more secure electricity supply, the ultimate goal can be reached, that being the development of an alternative distribution network. The problem of transition does not have its origin in local population but in the leaders who should show the others how excessive consumption of fossil fuels lead to catastrophic results. It is precisely the cooperatives that represent the greatest chance for an individual to accept cheaper and more practical ways of producing and using the electricity. The biggest motivation for joining cooperatives is their basic rule which states that it is not the amount of money invested that matters, but the work through which successful projects are realized.