Ten years of Banco dell’energia

At the eighth Plenary Meeting in Rome, Plenitude presents the results of its partnership with Banco dell’energia and its recent initiatives in support of the Third Sector.

The eighth Plenary Meeting of Fondazione Banco dell’energia brought together institutions, companies and Third Sector organisations to examine the dynamics of energy poverty in Italy and take stock of the Foundation’s first ten years of activity.

The collaboration between Plenitude and Fondazione Banco dell’energia is part of a multi-year programme. “We have been working with Banco dell’energia since 2023 and, to date, have supported 19 projects assisting more than 2,200 vulnerable families, 11 local facilities run by five Third Sector organisations, and the creation of 5 Renewable and Solidarity Energy Communities,” said Paola Osto, Plenitude’s Head of Sustainability and D&I, during her speech. This commitment was formalised in May 2023, when Plenitude signed the “Together to tackle energy poverty” Manifesto, and was further strengthened in September of the same year when the company joined the Foundation’s Board of Directors.
During the Plenary Meeting, Osto presented the two main projects supported by Plenitude in 2025.

Energy efficiency in support of Banco Alimentare’s food network

Improving the energy efficiency of infrastructure used to recover and distribute food can help free up resources for social initiatives. The “Energy for Food” project, developed in partnership with Banco Alimentare, addresses this need.

The initiative involves upgrading five key logistics hubs located in Emilia-Romagna, Liguria, Piedmont, Apulia and Umbria. Together, these hubs handle approximately 27,000 tonnes of food every year—23% of the national total—and reach more than 370,000 beneficiaries through a network of over 2,000 local charitable organisations. By upgrading refrigeration equipment, air-conditioning systems, windows and doors, and lighting with LED technology, the initiative seeks to reduce the energy consumption of the systems being upgraded

The OASI PLUS project with the Italian Red Cross

A second area of intervention focuses on strengthening facilities that provide assistance to people experiencing economic and social vulnerability. The OASI PLUS project forms part of this effort. Promoted by the Italian Red Cross, it involves establishing five new cooling centres across Italy. In particular, Plenitude’s contribution supported the development of three of these centres, located in Piedmont, Tuscany and Sicily, with the aim of strengthening local communities’ capacity to respond to the effects of heatwaves.

The initiative combines infrastructure upgrades at the facilities—including the installation of high-efficiency air-conditioning systems and photovoltaic systems equipped with energy storage—with expanded social and healthcare services and training on the health risks associated with heatwaves and excessive exposure to high temperatures. It is estimated that the initiative could increase the capacity of local Red Cross facilities to assist people in need by approximately 30%, with the aim of providing ongoing support to more than 3,400 people every year.

“For Plenitude, tackling energy poverty is a tangible commitment that, as a Benefit Corporation, translates into initiatives designed to generate shared value for the communities and local areas in which it operates,” emphasised Paola Osto during the event.

Visible impact and the social pact

“Portraits of Energy” offers a visual and human representation of this local commitment. The travelling photography exhibition and accompanying book, curated by Nicolas Ballario and featuring photographs by Marco Garofalo, document the Foundation’s ten years of work in the field, highlighting employees, volunteers, associations, technicians and families. Their faces embody the mission of Banco dell’energia, as recalled by the Foundation’s Chairman, Roberto Tasca: “to tackle energy poverty through solidarity initiatives capable of supporting vulnerable individuals and families.”