Some 47 million people in Europe were unable to heat their homes sufficiently last winter. This figure has risen dramatically since 2021. Three factors are decisive when it comes to “energy poverty”: obsolete buildings, high energy costs, and low household incomes. Experts warn that the result may be social conflict.
As the article says, this problem has several layers.
We have also energy problem in my apartment in Riga. State offers us something like 70000€ to insulate our 120 year old hause. The catch is, me and my neighbors have to pull that money together, do the renovation and after the fact we are reimbursed. But dude. Who has such money laying around!?
Last couple of summers I left the thermostat at 19°C. I prefer 21. But bills got really out of hand, so 19 it is. And not all day, for instance now in the morning I'm at 16-17, but I have a lot of blankets over and an electric blanket, so it's cozy. I usually start heating at midday.
Would this count?
Anyway, social conflict will not happen over this. The worst things on this regard happened a couple of years ago when prices spiked dramatically, and nothing happened.
The shame is governments not doing anything to subsidise the energy.
I am lucky enough to now live in a country where electricity is subsidised and on top of that climate is mild enough not to have to heat my home that much.
I spend in a year what I used to in a month in my former place in Belgium.
Yes moving to the South was for a part motivated by energy prices.
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