The city of Viladecans (Barcelona Province, Catalonia) launched in 2016 the VilaWatt project, in the frame of Urban Innovative Actions Initiative, as a main step on the way to energy transition. The project sets up an innovative public-private-citizen partnership in order to; enhance energy governance in the city, reduce the energy bill, promote a culture of energy savings and invest the gains in improved housing. The project initially targeted the Monsterratina District, where 600 households lived under the threshold of energy poverty and where deep energy renovation was needed in residential buildings.
VilaWatt: Innovative local public-private-citizen partnership for energy governance
Challenges addressed
- Alleviate energy poverty: in Spain, about 17% of households suffer from fuel poverty
- Unlock a much-needed deep energy renovation of residential buildings, firstly in low income communities
- Incentivize the private sector to invest in energy renovation by lowering risk perceptions
- Find innovative and adapted approaches to energy governance
Main objectives
- Achieve a low carbon and socially just community, where citizens play an active role in securing a stable Energy Transition Process in Viladecans.
- Awake the community on the energy efficiency and management, and empower the citizens by making them transit from a passive to a proactive role.
- Strengthen the local economy by bringing economic empowerment to the community vulnerable groups and by creating new jobs linked to the energy transition.
- Reduce environmental impacts (GHG, air pollution and other) thanks to energy efficiency measures and the switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy.
External resources
VilaWatt project website:
Facts
Project type Bike-sharing system
Promoter REMEDIO Project
Collaborators Split Council
Start date 2019
Funding Interreg-MED
Website Split bike sharing system
Project description
In order to secure a stable energy transition process, the Municipality of Viladecans initiated an Innovative Public-Private-Citizen Governance Partnership at the Local level (PPCP). This new PPCP is the central hub that manages the new local tools for the transition, which are: energy supply, energy currency, energy savings services, deep energy renovation investments and renewable energy production. The entity brought together, for the first time, the Municipality with the local businesses and the citizens of Viladecans as its members. Its mission is to promote and ensure a secure, clean and efficient use of energy.
The new entity has, first, a Local Energy Operator that is the local energy supplier and the renewable energy producer, and second, an Energy Savings Company, offering energy savings services and energy renovation investment to all its members. The community’s energy savings capitalization provides funds for new deep energy renovation investments. A new energy currency linked to energy savings was created, and works as an incentive for energy efficiency and as a mechanism to increase the economic capacity of vulnerable economic groups.
The creation of this local PPCP implies a change on the community’s role in energy management. This project involves the community from early stages and has defined a wide range of activities in order to transfer knowledge, build capacities, create jobs, create a community network, engage and empower the community.
Impact and results
- The deep renovation of 60 dwellings, supported by a participative scheme.
- A substantial improvement in the quality of life for 600 families of the Monsterratina District.
- A mindset change among the local population, through enhanced knowledge and capacities related to energy transition and renovation of buildings.
- A new PPCP organization for energy governance that will empower and engage citizens, local administration and public sector for the energy transition. It will provide access to local energy supply, energy savings contracting, deep renovations assessment and new financing possibilities.
- A new energy currency that will be operating in Montserratina District, adopted by PPCP associates and local shops in the implementation area.
- The energy related local sector will be developed, by empowering local professionals and creating new jobs.
- 5% of local economy turnover increase to be generated within the district.
