Fabio Gerosa, Fratello Sole
By helping charities and social organisations implement energy reduction measures, Fratello Sole enables them to lower their energy bills and reallocate funds towards the people they aim to serve.
With up to 30% of the population in Italy at risk of fuel poverty, many non-profit and social organisations are trying to help. But often, their own operational costs limit the number of people they can assist and reduce their overall impact.
Working primarily with support centres for low-income or disabled people, Fratello Sole steps in to first carry out an independent energy audit of such agencies and recommend ways to improve efficiency. It then oversees all renovations from start to finish, often also providing the necessary financial investments to ensure the cost of becoming more efficient is not a burden. In some cases, Fratello Sole also establishes a contract to provide maintenance services.
In energy efficiency projects undertaken to date, Fratello Sole has achieved an average of 65% reduction in energy consumption. In the process, they have also made social organisations ‘greener’, reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by a minimum of 60% on more than 300 buildings throughout Italy.
Importantly, Fratello Sole also provides green employment opportunities for vulnerable and disabled people. In February 2019, Fratello Sole signed an important agreement with ENEA (Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development) that recognises the value of its work in tackling fuel poverty. On 19 June 2018, Fratello Sole had the honour to present its programme in the Italian Parliament.
Fabio Gerosa, President of Fratello Sole, is one of 15 finalists in the Social Innovation to Tackle Fuel Poverty Initiative, launched by the Schneider Electric Foundation, the Ashoka Foundation, and Enel Group. Check out his video interview to learn more.
