MAPPING THE NATIONAL SITUATION ON ENERGY POVERTY: FYR of MACEDONIA
This document is a product of the “Reduce Energy Consumption and Change Habits” (REACH) project, under the Intelligent Energy Europe Program, financially supported by the European Union. The purpose of this analysis is to illustrate the problem of energy poverty in FYR of Macedonia and provide essential information.
As it is stated in the report, at the time the analysis was undertaken, 74.3% of the interviewed households used solid fuel stoves to heat their dwellings. These heating systems cannot provide sufficient thermal comfort for the whole living space. Moreover, the national building stock is deteriorated since most of the buildings (~85%) are built during the period from 1950 to 1990, thus their energy efficiency is poor. Furthermore, the increasing fuel prices and the high rates of unemployment, dredge up the energy poverty problem given that the vulnerable groups cannot find shelter in their inefficient dwellings. Energy poverty, as it is highlighted in the report, is a serious issue that concerns more than 50% of the country’s population. Accordingly, the health impacts associated with energy poverty, such as circulatory and respiratory diseases, are responsible for over than 60% of the deaths, but these numbers do not necessarily imply that energy poverty is the main cause.
Finally, it is pointed out that the amelioration of the building stock’s energy performance should be the most important strategy in order the FYR of Macedonia to reduce energy poverty and give aid to vulnerable groups.
To download and read the full report, as well as to find more about REACH project, please visit the webpages at the links provided below.