Anyone who wants to receive energy advice from the De Energieke Burger foundation in Bloemendaal will be put on the waiting list. The 17 energy coaches who provide their fellow citizens with free and independent energy advice are extremely busy. And given the high energy prices, this is easily explained. “One consultation can yield thousands of euros,” says energy coach Nico Lommerse.
Together with two others, Lommerse took the initiative three years ago to help fellow citizens make their homes more energy-efficient. Lommerse had already immersed herself in energy-saving measures a few years earlier and liked to do something with that knowledge. This is how in 2019 The Energetic Citizen set up.
“Three years ago we really had to ask for addresses, because we had coaches but no work. Now it is exactly the other way around. At least, we have enough coaches, but we can have a conversation every day. And we have waiting lists.”
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Nico Lommerse likes to use his knowledge and help fellow citizens. – NH News
Lommerse and his fellow coaches visit people’s homes for the consultations. “We look at what kind of house it is and look up data on the house. And then we look for the pain points of the house.”
“I’ve had people with a house of 10 million, who lived in a room.”
They not only visit terraced houses, but also large detached villas. Because even in those large houses, you can often save thousands of euros. “I’ve had people with a house worth 10 million. They lived in one room, because they just couldn’t pay the gas bill anymore,” says Lommerse.
Helping people
He would like to see more people who are struggling financially, knocking on the door of the Energieke Burger. Because he likes to give energy advice. “It is very important to me to help people. I really enjoy doing that and it gives me energy.”