Page 184 - Proceeding 2015

FAMP MU?ATESCU Virgil and COMĂNESCU Mihaela
CCASP ENERGY EFFICIENCY – A CHALLENGE FOR LOCAL AUTHORITIES

According to a recent study (Zamfir et al, 2015) „the policy to reduce it must include a complex of

actions: together with the support to persons that do not have the minimum income needed to obtain
appropriate energy services”, including to establish measures to make energy consumption more
PROCEEDINGS OF THE 11 TH ADMINISTRATION AND PUBLIC MANAGEMENT INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE
efficient, to use competition for energy price reduction at the final consumers level, improvement of

energy characteristics for living environment, especially at the level of buildings and a better access to
all forms of energy, plus the “power of choice” for a better informed consumer.

The same study considers that “energy poverty” in nowadays Romania represents combination of four

factors: low level of population income, increase of energy prices, access to energy sources, and
energy related characteristics of the buildings and of supply with energy system.

To protect such vulnerable consumers, authorities have differentiated approaches. Central authorities

can consider specific blocks of tariffs („social tariffs”) cheaper than the energy prices existing on the
liberalized markets or simply through direct subsidies to families with low income („social aid”). One
30 th – 31 st October 2015 ”Strategic Management for Local Communities” Bucharest
other way is to consider subsidies only for the fuel used to provide district heating.

Local authorities can provide direct subsidies to reduce the local price for heat produced by
cogeneration and delivered through centralized pipelines systems. But they have also a very important
tool: energy efficiency specific policies focused on buildings.

Thermal improvement of buildings’ envelops is the most common tool to reduce heat losses, but also
measures like rehabilitation of transport and distribution district heating pipes and awareness
campaigns to promote energy efficient behavior and to spread information on general policies like

labeling and use of new smart technologies are more and more parts of local authorities public policies.

Concerning the direct support to the vulnerable consumers in Romania, the present philosophy
recognizes the fact that fuel poverty appears when it is not possible to ensure the normal conditions of

comfort (apartment temperatures), either because the lack of access to energy sources (thermal
energy, fuel, etc.), or – when this access exists - because family is not able to purchase this service in
quantity and quality requested.

For vulnerable consumers who encounter such situations, central authorities (Government) provide
social aids which cover a part of the energy bills. Unfortunately, the present methodology (established
each year through an Emergency Government Ordinance for the heating season) bases on a series of

criteria that – in our opinion – are not adapted to heating systems reality.

We consider that there are a few criteria which are not taken into account in the present legislative
framework (UNDP Project, 2013):

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