SocialWatt

The aim of SocialWatt was to enable energy suppliers, utilities, energy companies to develop, adopt, implement and spread innovative energy poverty schemes across Europe.

SocialWatt involved a number of stakeholders during the different phases of the project, but energy-poor and vulnerable households were the ultimate beneficiaries of the activities.  Three decision support tools were developed to facilitate energy suppliers, utilities, energy companies’ efforts to alleviate energy poverty. These user-friendly tools can be used to identify energy-poor households, select the most appropriate energy efficiency and renewable energy actions, design targeted schemes for energy-poor households, monitor their effectiveness and evaluate their impact.

In parallel, the project focused on building the capacity and experience of energy suppliers, utilities, energy companies, and other relevant stakeholders, in identifying energy-poor households and designing and implementing schemes to help these households escape energy poverty.

Most importantly, SocialWatt utilities and energy companies developed and published Energy Poverty Action Plans that outlined schemes to be implemented within the framework of the project. Overall, twenty-five schemes were developed to alleviate energy poverty, twenty of which were either fully implemented or launched within the duration of the project. 

Last, but not least, a number of activities were implemented to enable cross-fertilisation of learnings and trigger the design of effective schemes to alleviate energy poverty. In particular, the replication of the project activities and outcomes were promoted through bilateral exchanges with other utilities, energy companies and energy cooperatives, as well as with national and regional energy agencies and associations across Europe.

To support the implementation of energy poverty schemes, the project partners also reviewed and made recommendations on relevant policy at both national and EU levels.

SocialWatt has published policy factsheets, policy briefs and policy guides, in particular reviewing national energy poverty policies and energy crisis responses in 10 countries. The project also contributed to the recast of the Energy Efficiency Directive through recommendations on increasing the Directive’s provision for energy-poor households.

Some concrete key performance indicators included:

• Approximately 1.9 million energy-poor households were reached, of which about 193 thousand households were actively engaged and motivated by SocialWatt (to change their behaviour and/or implement low-cost actions
• 12 thousand energy-poor households benefited from energy efficiency/renewable energy projects.
• 114 GWh/year primary energy savings were triggered by the project
• 35 million € sustainable energy investments were triggered by the project
• One conference was organised
• 11 workshops were organized
• Twelve training events were organised
• Three scientific publications were developed.

Follow the project updates on Facebook, LinkedIn,  X (former Twitter). This page was last updated on 30 October 2023. For the most updated information about the project, please visit the EC Funding and Tender website and the website of the project.