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Energy Poverty Advisory Hub

LIGAR – Energy for All

National project

LIGAR brought together a multifaceted team of experts to develop an inclusive and comprehensive approach to tackling energy poverty, starting with the identification and mapping of hotspot regions for energy poverty vulnerability, followed by direct and in-person engagement with vulnerable consumers in selected regions to understand their situation and what can be done to better it, and finally conducting local actions in vulnerable homes for increased awareness and support through energy efficiency strategies.

The project developed the following activities:

  • Development of a quantitative analytical method, the Energy Poverty Vulnerability Index (EPVI), to assess and map vulnerability to energy poverty (winter and summer) that combined modelling the energy needs of buildings, energy statistics, and socio-economic indicators. Using this method, 10 of the most vulnerable regions were selected for intervention, according to their higher vulnerability levels in summer and winter, territorial typology (rural/urban), population size, and ease of access and communication with local authorities. The results were analysed in light of complementary regional indicators, such as the share of social housing, informal dwellings, and social tariff recipients, which are symptomatic of energy poverty situations.
  • Implementation of an interview-based qualitative analysis in the selected regions to reach out to vulnerable consumers, characterise their situation and context, and identify intervention opportunities related to energy use in their homes. The interviews focused on: dwelling characterisation, renovation works, conservation, satisfaction with the dwelling, notion of comfort, evaluation of thermal comfort, practices for coping with the cold and the heat, domestic equipment, energy consumption and savings, family budget, impact of the economic crisis, energy supply contracts, access to information, daily habits, and household composition.
  • Implementation of local actions to increase awareness in the local community and promote energy efficiency in the regions tackle the identified causes of vulnerability. The initiatives included: the development of an energy efficiency manual and an ideation contest aiming to promote innovative ideas to stimulate the awareness and involvement of local agents for energy efficiency. Capacity building and technical training were provided to energy advisers that support vulnerable consumers coping with energy poverty through daily energy efficiency strategies and personal support with bills and energy contracts.

With a budget of about 150,000 euros the project intervened in 10 regions, interviewed 100 individuals and completed 500 local interventions. It is an inspiring practice, as a diverse team of experts successfully combined quantitative and regional mapping and qualitative methods based on interviews to select hotspots of vulnerability for local action and intervention opportunities, followed by local interventions in situ, thus treading the path from theory to practice. The local authorities participated as intermediaries to identify and connect the project and the local population.

The challenges that arose during the project were mainly related to the involvement from local stakeholders in the idea contests, data collection, engagement with the vulnerable consumers and the lack of financial support for vulnerable households for the renovation of their homes and replacement of inefficient equipment. Finally, the results and real impact of the project was challenging to monitor.

Main beneficiaries: the energy-poor population, local authorities and energy advisers.





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