The Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation recommended that the Government create funding programmes to combat energy poverty and that local authorities set up face-to-face service points to identify vulnerable families and help them reduce energy costs.
The recommendations are contained in a report released on Monday by the Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and are the result of a pilot project that took place in the district of Setúbal between 2022 and 2023 to mitigate energy poverty.
According to the report, energy poverty “It is a serious problem in Portugal.“where 1.7 million people cannot heat their homes to a comfortable temperature in winter and a third of the population cannot cool their homes in summer.
In addition, 70% of households in Portugal are classified as energy inefficient and a quarter of the population lives in homes with leaks, dampness or mould.
To address this problem, Gulbenkian developed a pilot project that involved the creation of a mobile help desk to offer energy advice to the population.
People supported at the “Transition Point”, the name given by the foundation to the service point installed in a container that was located in different places and contexts in the Setúbal region, received advice on electricity and gas, support for energy efficiency in their homes and free energy assessments.
Over the course of 14 months, the project received more than 500 visitors, helped more than 75 families apply for public funding for renovation work on their homes, and recommended measures such as installing water flow reducers, installing external protective windows, or replacing single-glazed windows with double-glazed windows and conventional lamps with LEDs.
In his conclusions, Gulbenkian highlights that these in-person care points make it possible to close the gap between vulnerable consumers and financial support programs, accelerating a fair and inclusive energy transition, at a time when the increase in energy costs derived from the current energy crisis The crisis has worsened vulnerability to energy poverty and increased the number of people affected across Europe.
In the report, the foundation recommends that the Central government guarantees stable policies, measures and financing programs to improve energy efficiency of housing, recognizing the need to target populations in situations of energy poverty and those with more difficult access.
To local authorities, the foundation proposes the creation and management of these mobile service points, such as the Transition Point, to identify people in situations of energy poverty, supporting them with actions adapted to their needs.
The opening of financing lines for energy efficiency measures, complementary to public financing from the central State, is another recommendation for local authorities.
The report also presents recommendations to regional and local energy and environment agencies, which should make their technical knowledge on energy efficiency available to communities, as well as to non-governmental and community organizations, which should use their experience in contact with the local population to help. Make known the service points.
Academic institutions and research centres can produce scientific evidence and provide support in the diagnosis, planning and impact assessment phases, while private sector entities can help maintain, replicate and boost service points to evolve towards new business models.
Gulbenkian’s pilot project was carried out in collaboration with the Energy and Environment Agency of Arrábida, the Environment and Sustainability Research Center of the Faculty of Science and Technology of the NOVA University of Lisbon and the Association of Energy and Environment Agencies. Environment, as well as the collaboration of municipalities. from Setúbal, Palmela and Sesimbra.
Source: Observadora
