Gecodor chose to celebrate the end of the year with an initiative that authentically tells the story of its identity: a team building dedicated to the art of ceramics, held at the Bottega del Monaco, in the beating heart of Grottaglie, internationally recognized as the capital of artistic ceramics.
An experience that was not only formative and creative, but also deeply symbolic. Gecodor, a company active in the renewable energy sector, with origins in Lucania and now based in Grottaglie, wanted to build a bridge between ancient knowledge and vision of the future, between craftsmanship and technological innovation, between territory and sustainability.
The energy of the future comes from respecting the past.
From sketch to form: the value of “making”
The Gecodor team, composed of young and dynamic professionals, participated in a comprehensive course that went through all stages of ceramic processing: from the design sketch, to clay modeling, to decoration.
Particularly significant was the use of both the pedal lathe, a symbol of traditional craftsmanship, and the electric lathe, an expression of technological evolution that improves efficiency without distorting the gesture. Two different but complementary tools that perfectly tell the story of Gecodor’s philosophy: to innovate while respecting what comes from afar.
As in the design of a renewable energy plant, every step in ceramics requires attention, expertise, balance, and adherence to timelines. Nothing is immediate; everything is the result of a shared process.
Ceramics and renewable energy: a possible dialogue, the energy community as a tool for protection and innovation
In the dialogue between ceramics and renewable energy, a central role is represented by the possibility of establishing a renewable energy community (REC) to serve Grottaglie’s ceramists. This is a model that is now fully permitted by the current national and European regulatory framework, allowing the combination of environmental sustainability, energy efficiency and protection of the historical and artistic heritage.
In fact, current regulations allow photovoltaic plants to be set up even in areas that are different and dislocated from the historic center of the potteries, as long as the plant and the community members fall within the same area as the primary cabin. The energy produced can be shared virtually among community members, without the need for a direct physical connection between the plant and individual stores.
This approach opens up a particularly virtuous scenario for Grottaglie:
- the photovoltaic system could be installed outside the ceramics district, in areas suitable in terms of landscape and urban planning;
- the renewable energy produced would then be used to power the firing and drying kilns, among the main energy consumers in the ceramic industry;
- panels on the roofs of historic workshops would be avoided, preserving the visual, artistic and cultural integrity of the pottery center.
In this way, the energy community would become not only a tool for reducing costs and emissions, but also a concrete act of landscape protection, demonstrating how the energy transition can be designed in harmony with the history and identity of places.
Gecodor looks at this model as a replicable and participatory project, capable of transforming renewable energy into a common good and strengthening the link between technological innovation, craftsmanship and territory.
People, territory and community
The day ended with a convivial dinner involving the team and family members, a heartfelt moment of sharing to exchange wishes for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. A gesture that reflects Gecodor’s belief that the most important energy is that generated by human relationships, a sense of belonging, and community.
Rooted between Basilicata and Puglia, Gecodor continues to invest in projects that combine innovation, sustainability and territorial identity, with the aim of building a more responsible, inclusive energy future that respects local excellence.
