Valencia’s pathway to involving energy poor people in the first energy community

Arturo Zea from the POWER UP pilot Valencia Climate and Energy Foundation, describes why the topic of community energy is a priority for Valencia. He also takes us back to how everything started with the first energy community in Valencia, in Castellar L’Oliveral. It is the very first energy community where the city makes it possible for energy poor people to be directly involved.

How a national energy advice service could make a difference for people in need

This winter, the number of British citizens struggling to pay their bill has reached undreamed levels. An estimated 9 million people in the country are affected and do not know how to heat or light their home, how to cool their food, how to sleep carefree. Easy hacks on how to reduce energy consumption are nice, but not enough to improve their lives. That is why, in a recent article, POWER UP partner Ami Crowther from University of Manchester, together with energy poverty experts Stefan Bouzarovski and Neil Simcock call for a national energy advice service.

New report about those who will revolutionise the energy market

The time for big energy utilities is over. Or at least, their time is counted as new players are moving into the energy market. So, who else than tradition corporations can become an energy service provider? What shape can those still very new entities take? The most recent report produced by POWER UP provides an overview of those “social energy market players”. It describes their mission, governance and composition.

Alleviating energy poverty: Cooperatives as interlayers

How can we strengthen consumer empowerment ? And who are these local energy market players with a socio-ecological agenda that could play an important role in it? In this article we take a particular look at one powerful player in the field: citizen cooperatives.

Gender Equality Could be a Step Towards Ending Energy Poverty

Gender equality

The 8th of March every year marks international women’s day. This year’s theme is “Gender equality today for a sustainable tomorrow”. For many women all over the world, gender inequality is a daily experience. And when it comes to heating or cooling, cooking and lighting a home, research has shown that women are at greater risk of energy poverty than men because of unequal opportunities.