
June 23, 2023
In the context of the ENERTOWN project, the Romanian Energy Poverty Observatory (ORSE), an initiative also developed by ACSD, the Project Promoter, will carry out a research project, together with its Partners, on energy poverty in small urban towns – the first such initiative in Romania.
The research objectives include identifying how energy poverty manifests in small towns, identifying the main challenges, important actors, and specific solutions to reduce this phenomenon. Alongside previous research projects conducted by CSD in various urban contexts over time, the results of this project will contribute to the understanding of energy vulnerability in Romania.
The research will be conducted in the context of the ENERTOWN project, funded by Norwegian funds and implemented by CSD in partnership with the University of Stavanger in Norway for the exchange of best practices and capacity development for a just transition. It is also conducted alongside ECERA, a non-governmental organization with expertise in energy and environmental policies, and Servelect, a company with expertise in energy management in several small urban areas.
Specific objectives of the project include: strengthening the capacity of local actors to navigate the challenges of a just transition in the context of small urban areas in Romania, identifying and quantifying specific challenges, and developing intervention formulas that yield results in the community. These interventions target renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable energy security solutions.
The project will be implemented in four urban localities in Cluj County: Huedin, Gherla, Turda, and Câmpia Turzii. The secondary objective is to transfer the experience gained here to other localities in Romania.
ENERTOWN offers an opportunity for parallel research, conducted by ORSE, regarding energy poverty in small urban areas. The project will run until December of this year.
“The way development has taken place in Romania since 1990 has posed specific challenges for rural and urban environments. Small urban areas have their unique challenges, especially in the context of the development of large urban centers. In Romania, any discussion about energy poverty or a just transition has a predominantly national approach, without taking into account local nuances. The idea of the research is to understand the challenges of energy poverty in small urban areas in the context of development,” said George Jiglău, President of CSD, coordinator of ORSE, and the Enertown project.
As ORSE experts have previously emphasized, in Romania, the profile of vulnerable energy consumers is usually analyzed by institutions responsible for addressing energy poverty, with insufficient reference to specific field data, case studies, or other details related to the living environment of these individuals (mountainous/lowland regions, rural/urban areas, etc.). Measures generalized at the population level or that do not distinguish between vulnerabilities cannot adequately address the needs of different household categories.
The full press release (in Romanian) can be consulted on the ORSE website here: https://saracie-energetica.ro/orse-in-premiera-nationala-va-fi-cercetata-saracia-energetica-in-orasele-mici-din-romania/
The project “Energy Education for Sustainable Urban Areas – ENERTOWN” is funded by Innovation Norway through the Norwegian Grants 2014 – 2021 (https://www.innovasjonnorge.no, Working together for a green, competitive, and inclusive Europe), under the “Energy Programme in Romania,” with funding of 195,774 EURO and a grant value of 174,696 EURO.