Banco dell’Energia is a non-profit organisation which works to support those in need socially and economically by both developing and supporting projects in collaboration with Fondazione Cariplo, a philanthropic organisation with a 25-year track-record. Founded in 2016, the work undertaken by Banco dell’Energia has thus far helped over 10,000 people through two editions of the ‘Let’s Donate Energy’ programme in collaboration with Fondazione Cariplo.

NextEnergy Foundation contributed to Banco dell’Energia’s project, Energia in Periferia (Energy in Periphery) in 2021-22. The project supported 97 families in vulnerable socio-economic situations in the periphery of Milan, specifically the area of Quarto Oggiaro, and in particular those adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In collaboration with Caritas and the Municipality of Milan, short- and long-term energy-related interventions were carried out. The short-term intervention involved paying the electricity bills for the 97 families. This was supplemented by a longer-term workstream undertaken to breakdown the families’ electricity usage and educate them on energy conservation so as to reduce their electricity bills in future. A third component of the project was to provide LED lightbulbs to each family to maximise energy efficiency. This was carried out in partnership with Signify-Philips.