France issues vouchers to buy firewood — RT World News
Government aims to help families survive winter amid soaring energy prices
French residents who use logs, wood chips or pellets to heat their homes can now receive between €50 ($53) and €200 ($212) from the government to help them deal with the energy crisis.
the “exceptional energy voucher” The program launched on Tuesday is designed to help low-income families survive the winter, as the price of firewood has risen 30% this year, officials said.
People must apply online through a government-run website in order to receive the funds. The amount depends on family income, household size and the type of fuel used.
The French parliament allocated 230 million euros this month to help people struggling to buy firewood. At least 2.6 million households are eligible for the program, according to the Ministry of Economy.
Similar checks were introduced last month for households using fuel oil, with families eligible for aid of between €100 and €200. Like many other EU member states, France has implemented an energy saving program aimed at avoiding shortages and power cuts during the winter season.
The energy crisis and high inflation rates in the EU have been exacerbated by the conflict in Ukraine after member states imposed sweeping sanctions on Russian oil and gas exports.
Action and Public Accounts Minister Gabriel Attal said last month that the voucher scheme would also help reduce profits linked to the rising cost of wood.
The French Fuel and Heating Federation (FF3C) described demand for pellets in August as “abnormally high” as consumers rushed to stock up for the winter. According to the FF3C, it will have to produce 2.4 million tonnes of wood this year, against 1.8 million tonnes produced before the previous winter.
You can share this story on social media:
Rt
