Caritas asks for electricity donations to combat energy poverty
Increasingly, households are producing their own solar power and feeding surpluses into the grid at often low rates. With the Caritas power donation in collaboration with Robin Powerhood, these surpluses can now be partially donated to make a social contribution.
In Austria, energy poverty is on the rise: According to Statistics Austria, about one in twenty people cannot adequately heat or cool their homes, lighting is insufficient, or the use of household appliances such as stoves and washing machines is restricted.
The Caritas power donation allows, for the first time, the donation of surplus electricity from photovoltaic, wind, or hydropower plants to needy households. Caritas facilities such as mother-child homes and residences for people with disabilities also benefit from this. Power donations can be made by individuals and companies, provided there is a feed-in contract. After filling out an online form, participation must be confirmed in the smart meter portal of the network operator. The donated surplus power then supports people in need or Caritas facilities. Recipients continue to bear network costs and charges, while part of the electricity remains free through the donation. The donated electricity is listed by the provider in each billing and is visible in the smart meter web portal. At the end of the year, Caritas, together with Robin Powerhood, issues a certificate for the power donation, which is currently only tax-deductible for companies.
"It is known that we as Caritas ask for monetary donations. But from now on, we are also asking for power donations from those who already produce more electricity than they can use themselves. Instead of selling this surplus for a few cents per kWh, you can do something really good and help very easily," says Christoph Riedl, Secretary General of Caritas St. Pölten. "We see in our social counseling centers every day that electricity bills often become a challenge for families in Lower Austria - especially for families, single parents, and minimum pensioners. With your power donation, you not only give light, warmth, and security - you are part of an energy community of charity."
The power donations are collected by the Caritas of the Diocese of St. Pölten in cooperation with Robin Powerhood. "As the first charitable and donation-needy energy community, we want to make renewable energy accessible to everyone. With Caritas as a strong partner in Lower Austria, we want to motivate many private households and companies to donate their surplus electricity to people in difficult life situations and to charitable Caritas facilities," says Valentin Neuhauser, project manager of Robin Powerhood. The Caritas of the Diocese of St. Pölten and Robin Powerhood are committed to ensuring that in the future not only companies but also individuals have the opportunity to make their power donation tax-deductible. More information about the power donation can be found here .
This article has been automatically translated, read the original article here .
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