How can solar electricity be made more attractive and affordable to households? What role can an energy giant play for the most vulnerable households?
Increasing the amount of renewable energy, especially solar, in the energy mix has become a priority to create a just transition and make our societies more sustainable. ENEL X, the Enel Company for new and innovative businesses, has been developing solutions for households for several years. Andrea Scognamiglio, the head of Global e-home at Enel X since the end of 2017, is working to make these solutions known and accessible to as many people as possible because people “need to find convenient to move towards sustainability”. Between the increase in energy prices in recent months, the COVID-19 pandemic and the generalisation of teleworking, which has increased the time spent at home (and therefore the domestic energy consumption), these solutions respond to concrete needs.
However, the proposed solutions often do not respond to real situations. Therefore, many people live in flats and are excluded from rooftop solar projects. ENEL X is offering in Italy (and soon in Spain and Romania) solar panels for apartments (“Solare da Appartamento”) to hang on window or balcony railings and plug directly into the domestic grid. Andrea calculated that this “very easy solution can help you save twenty-five per cent of the electricity, which at this point in time, it’s quite big”. Therefore, “these panels can make a big difference saving money, saving the environment and reducing the import of gas.”
Andrea points out that even though many instruments make these tools affordable from a financial point of view, many people still risk being left out. Therefore, ENEL X is launching with Legambiente, the main Italian environmental association, the crowdfunding campaign #UnPanelloInPiù, which will allow households in energy poverty to receive one of these panels for free.
Andrea would like everyone to become aware of their potential to generate their own energy because, in the end, “people make the difference”.
Find here the crowdfunding platform for the initiative #UnPanelloInPiù with Legambiente: https://buff.ly/3MvBB0l
