Facing some of the highest energy prices in Europe, low-income families in Flanders, Belgium are among the most at-risk for eviction and homelessness.
Aiming to tap into private financing for an affordable, renewable energy transition, the Association of Flemish Social Housing Companies developed the ASTER project, which stands for Access to Sustainability through Energy-Efficient Retrofit. The project will add solar panels to some 70 000 social homes, for a total electricity generation capacity of 300 MW.
The project funded from the EU Horizon 2020 programme uses private financial resources to tackle the energy poverty of social tenants and to contribute to Europe’s 2050 climate strategy. Any return on investment generated will be shared with social tenants, which will be benefitting from lower energy bills.
ASTER shows how energy can be a community asset and hopes its stakeholders, and others, will think differently about how to achieve a just energy transition.
The Housing Solutions Platform is an initiative to identify, debate and promote innovative solutions for affordable housing in Europe by FEANTSA, Housing Europe and the Fondation Abbé Pierre.