The Region of Western Macedonia, specifically the Municipalities of Eordaia and Grevena, is proactively addressing challenges arising from the EU Green Deal’s energy transition. With a historical reliance on coal mining activities that have been compelled to cease, coupled with the recent energy crisis, heightened unemployment, reduced incomes, and unfavorable fall and winter weather conditions, residents are grappling with increased expenditures for heating, leading to the pervasive issue of energy poverty. Despite variations in heating systems, both Eordaia and Grevena municipalities, with their family-oriented towns, encounter similar challenges that necessitate localised solutions beyond the scope of national policies such as the Social Tariff and “Energy Saving at Home”.
In light of these circumstances, the expertise of the Energy Poverty Advisory Hub (EPAH) is being sought to provide education, build awareness, and address energy poverty. The objective is to assist municipalities in documenting the current energy situation, especially since comprehensive data for Eordaia and Grevena are currently unavailable. The focus is on aiding citizens contending with soaring heating costs exacerbated by the uneducated and abrupt energy transition. A nuanced and multi-faceted solution is imperative, requiring the involvement of energy poverty experts.