Supporting residents to save on energy bills
PAN - People-Animals-Nature presents today, at the Municipal Assembly of Matosinhos, a recommendation urging the Municipality of Matosinhos to create an information line for citizens seeking to save on energy bills.
Municipalities are a level of governance very close to citizens with a very important role in decarbonization and the fight against energy poverty. The transition to renewable energy is only possible with effective actions by everyone: public and private organizations, but also with the involvement of individual citizens.
"It would be beneficial for the municipality to help citizens to find the best solutions as soon as possible so that they know how to invest in the efficient use of energy, in the production and storage of renewable energy, warns Albano Lemos Pires, municipal deputy."
Considering that:
- A long winter is coming as a result of the context of war we are living in Europe, triggered by the brutal and inhumane invasion of Ukraine;
- The European Union is planning a "deep and comprehensive reform of the electricity market" and the strategy to make the EU more energy independent from Russia is based on increasing renewable energy, mobilizing the energy economy and diversifying energy sources.
- Investing in solar panels and heat pumps, along with building renovation and energy efficiency measures, will bring us closer to the Paris Agreement Commitment, while isolating Putin's terrorist regime and mitigating energy poverty;
- At the national level it is also planned to implement a national strategy to combat energy poverty;
- Municipalities are a level of governance very close to the citizens with a very important role in decarbonization and fighting energy poverty.
- The transition to renewable energy is only possible with effective actions from everyone: public and private organizations and also individual citizens.
- It is necessary for the municipality to act in a preventive way, as soon as possible;
- We want a fair and resilient municipality that invests in the efficient use of energy, in the production and storage of renewable energy.
In view of the above, the Municipal Deputy of PAN proposes that the Municipal Assembly of Matosinhos, in its Ordinary Session of September 26, 2022, resolves to recommend to the Municipality of Matosinhos that:
- Create a proximity space or a clarification and support line to the citizens, with the aim of providing people and/or families with the necessary information to reduce their energy costs through the implementation of energy efficiency measures and decentralized production of renewable energy as well as support for the submission of applications to national funding opportunities in this area;
- Intervene in supporting and boosting new renewable energy communities in the municipality;
- Provide municipal housing with panels for capturing renewable energy - Solar - with batteries to accumulate energy to serve the housing and nearby infrastructure.