Lead partner, the Andalusian Energy Agency, together with the rest of the partners, held the Final Event of the POWERTY project on 14th June 2023, which brought together more than a hundred experts and professionals in the city of Seville.
The results of four years of work were shared and highlighted in this Final Event, opened by the Deputy Minister of Industry, Energy and Mines, Ana María Vielba, and which brought together about 125 experts and professionals interested in finding out how renewable energies have been used in Europe to alleviate energy poverty.
During the first session, titled “Interregional Cooperation and energy poverty”, results from the Interreg Europe Programme were presented by Camille Milloir from the Interreg Europe Joint Secretariat, who pointed out that POWERTY "is the only one of the 60 low carbon economy cooperation projects of this programme focused on the fight against energy poverty".
Next, the Energy poverty landscape in Europe was presented by Laurie Waller, researcher at the University of Manchester, and Advisory Partner of the POWERTY project, detailing information on energy poverty indicators and key policy developments.
To complete this first session, Joaquín Villar of the Andalusian Energy Agency, lead partner, presented the POWERTY project, explaining details of the project such as the partners involved, duration, activities carried out, main outputs, topics, pilot actions, energy poverty and local energy communities in Andalusia, achievements and awards, etc.
During the second session of the Final Event, POWERTY partners presented the results of the project in their respective regions.
Concretely, Renata Adomaviciene of the Development and Public Investment Agency (VIPA-Lithuania), presented “New financing mechanisms that involve both public and private capital, simplifying and improving of of society’s accessibility to these new schemes.Case study: Lithuania. Development and implementation of financial instruments”.
In addition, Angelina Tomov of the Energy Agency of Plovdid (EAP-Bulgaria) presented “Key renewable energy technologies, tools and methods that are best adapted to the vulnerable groups to improve their quality of life. Case study: Bulgaria. Pilot Roof PV Installations and Energy Storage Systems in Plovdiv Social Buildings”.
Noémie Zambeaux of the Environment and Energy Agency of the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes region (AURA-EE – France) next presented “Empowering citizens and local authorities. Case study:France. Energy Citizen Communities as new energy operators to help vulnerable households”.
To complete this second session, Joaquin Villar of the Andalusian Energy Agency (AEA-Spain) and lead partner of the POWERTY project, presented “Normative and regulatory opportunities related with renewable energies and vulnerable groups in situations of energy poverty. Case study Andalusia: Legal Guide for the development of energy communities in vulnerable areas.”
Andreas Tuerk, European expert on energy communities at the Joanneum Research Institute, started the third session presenting “Energy communities in the European panorama”.
The last part of this third session focused on 2 round table discussions with particiapting entities on the topics “Energy communities as part of the solution to energy poverty. Needs and obstacles” and “Empowering citizens through energy communities. From theory to practice. Pilot cases”.
Presentations are available at Library: https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/powerty/library/
Link to the press release of the POWERTY Final Event on the Andalusian Regional Government´s web page which includes a short video (of our study visit to the pilot action in Torreblanca and the final event): https://juntadeandalucia.es/presidencia/portavoz/social/183695/JuntadeAndalucia/ConsejeriadeIndustriaEnergiayMinas/energiasrenovables/pobrezaenergetica/powerty/interreg/europa/colectivosvulnerables/torreblanca/comunidadesenergeticas
Links to the online streaming of the event:
Link to radio interview with Joaquin Villar, Lead Patner-AEA on impact of Final Event (21/6/2023):
Links to oral communication on POWERTY in the Andalusian Parliament:
https://www.parlamentodeandalucia.es/stream/canal2.html (live)l
