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Areas Urbanism & territory, Tourism and Economic activities Environment Formentera encourages smarter consumption by linking municipal facilities to new energy portal

Formentera encourages smarter consumption by linking municipal facilities to new energy portal

foto 2021 portal d energiaThe Formentera Department of Environment has unveiled a section on the Consell de Formentera website where islanders can get up-to-date details on the energy that is expended by municipal facilities and public lighting. FDE chief Antonio J Sanz described it as a “management and accounting tool to limit unnecessary consumption, cut costs and save energy in order to improve efficiency and make Formentera cleaner, greener and less polluted”.

“Not only does the new system let us monitor consumption and costs, we can also shape strategies for ongoing improvements and pinpoint ways to increase the energy efficiency of our facilities. It also helps us build awareness among facility users and islanders in general about what’s being done”, said the environment chief.

Energy consumption in figures
Over the last twelve months, municipal consumption has accounted for 2,967,673 kW of total energy use on the island, with public lighting making up over 18%. The total figure is comparable to the energy that is used by 494 households, and represents more than 565 tonnes of CO2 released into the atmosphere — a volume which would require 154 hectares of forest to be absorbed. Formentera recently came in seventh in a study of energy efficiency among ten similar municipalities. “There’s clearly room for improvement”, conceded Sanz, while asserting such calculus was “an exercise in transparency”, and served “to show us where we’re at, and what policies and strategies we need to be energy efficient”.

Energy-saving strategies
An array of FDE efforts in recent months have focussed on making the island more energy efficient. First, Formentera joined a host of other municipal authorities in signing a climate and energy pledge to hit the European Union’s greenhouse gas emission targets through improved efficiency and renewable sources. Crews are additionally checking electricity supply meters, readjusting energy levels in facilities to bring contracts in line with real consumption and monitoring existing solar installations and fuel costs.

Moreover, last November Formentera joined VPP4Island, a pioneering European initiative to integrate renewable systems and accelerate the transition to smart and green energy.

Formentera has also fitted public car parks with solar panel-equipped canopies and installed new photovoltaic generation systems at the football pitch and other municipal facilities.

Balearic Energy Systems is in charge of implementing the €12,710 energy-monitoring portal. Article 9 of a piece of 2019 legislation on climate change and energy transition requires that public administrations carry out or contract energy audits, with specific proposals for energy efficiency improvements, of buildings they occupy or own.

21 July 2021
Communications Department
Consell de Formentera

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