Energy saving is one of the keywords of the project and it is the main action to tackle summer energy poverty. On this, the project has started delivering the CoolKits to vulnerable households involved in the project with the aim to enhance energy efficiency in buildings and limit households’ energy bills. COOLtoRISE supports vulnerable citizens in implementing several strategies to reduce energy costs and improve summer energy poverty conditions through outdoor and indoor interventions. Each country involved in COOLtoRISE tailored its interventions according to the needs of beneficiaries.
After conducting in-person building inspections and discussing with householders to shed light on their needs, in Italy, on the territory of Parma, the coordinators have chosen the most suitable gadgets to include in the CoolKits.
The chosen box contains led light bulbs, smart wifi socket electricity meters, and fans. With the objective of helping citizens in coping with summer poverty energy, the CoolKit will also have a positive impact on energy bills of the project beneficiaries. As of August, the Italian energy agents have begun the Kits delivery which is expected to be finalized within the next weeks.
The actions foreseen by the project fit perfectly in the historical period we are experiencing: the war in Ukraine coupled with the consequences of climate change has generated a sharp increase in energy prices in Europe. Due to the EU’s strong reliance on Russian supplies before the war and the strict sanctions imposed on the Russian energy sector, the EU is experiencing an increase in energy bills that dramatically impacts low-income households as they spend a larger share of their budget on electricity.
While waiting for the EU to set common emergency measures to curb soaring energy prices, it is crucial to enact all available strategies to tackle the increase of energy bills.
