Earlier today, the Deputy Chairman of the GAS NATURAL FENOSA Foundation and Managing Director for Communication and Institutional Relations of the power company, Jordi Garcia Tabernero, the President of the Spanish Red Cross, Javier Senent, and the General Manager of the Foundation, Martí Solà, renewed a partnership agreement for helping groups at risk of energy vulnerability in Spain.
“In this first year of our agreement, the Foundation and Spanish Red Cross helped over 800 vulnerable families with an investment of €200,000”, said the President of the Spanish Red Cross, Javier Senent.
The Deputy Chairman of the GAS NATURAL FENOSA Foundation, Jordi Garcia Tabernero, said that “efforts to ease energy vulnerability require collaboration from the public authorities, society and power companies. Our company continues to work on promoting action and helping social services and organisations improve the management of vulnerable families”. “In the first year of this plan, we have guaranteed supply to over 30,000 families throughout Spain. At present, our company has signed agreements that allow 94% of customers in Spain to be protected”, he recalled.
New projects under the agreement
Renewal of the agreement between the GAS NATURAL FENOSA Foundation and Red Cross includes new lines of action to expand their awareness actions with children and young people by offering energy workshops at schools and play centres in order to reach all members of the families with which they work. The Energytruck will also be available to complement these projects, that is, a sustainable truck with a mobile exhibition on energy and the environment.
Another project included under the new agreement is the development of an online app by the Red Cross to improve the assessment of and service to families taking part in the energy vulnerability project.
First year of energy advice for these families
Under the partnership agreement between the two entities, assistance was given to over 800 families in a situation of vulnerability in order to offer them advice on the responsible use of energy and adaptation of supply consumption in their homes, among other things. Each family was given a customised energy efficiency kit consisting of LED bulbs, reflective material or strip lights, among other things.
The two entities organised energy workshops (supported by the foundation’s Energy School) to tackle issues related to contracting the right power in their bills and the process for subsidised rate application.
Furthermore, the GAS NATURAL FENOSA Foundation trained over 200 volunteers on best practices and energy efficiency and saving. The goal of this training is to provide tools and materials to the volunteers so they can ensure that the implementation of efficient practices in those homes most in need is viable, as well as to encourage understanding and monitoring of energy consumption in the homes of families in a situation of vulnerability.
Energy Vulnerability Plan
The GAS NATURAL FENOSA Energy Vulnerability Plan is the first such plan to be developed by a Spanish power company. The programme, which has already been implemented throughout Spain, contains over 20 measures of both operational and social characteristics aimed at strengthening and systemising the management of vulnerable customers and enhancing collaboration with third sector entities and communication with social services. In total, it represents an investment of €4.5 million per year.
Spanish Red Cross
The Red Cross is a humanitarian organisation that works with people who, for various reasons, are experiencing situations of heightened social vulnerability. Energy poverty is one of the limiting factors that affect the groups supported by this institution and that prevents them from living a decent life. The Red Cross has therefore called for “the environment to be brought closer to the people” in order to reach over 12,000 people a year through actions aimed at easing the effects stemming from limited economic resources when making use of energy resources.
The Red Cross and its volunteers undertake this mission through a series of actions to help families understand the details of their electricity bill, implement good environmental practices in the home that will help them save money and offer advice on applying for the subsidised rate.
GAS NATURAL FENOSA Foundation
Set up in 1992 by the power company, the GAS NATURAL FENOSA Foundation is tasked with educating, training, informing and raising social awareness of energy and environmental issues. It also develops Social Action programmes both nationally and internationally, focusing particularly on initiatives aimed at alleviating energy vulnerability. It promotes initiatives in the cultural sphere, geared towards preserving and disseminating the historical heritage of the gas and electricity sector.
