Three New LIFE Projects Focused on Energy Poverty

Three new projects funded by the EU LIFE programme officially started between July to September 20205, each focused on addressing energy poverty across Europe. Coordinated by leading organisations in their respective fields, these projects adopt diverse approaches ranging from gender-responsive solutions to establishing national observatories and community-driven retrofits.

Energy Poverty Nexus
Coordinated by Climate Alliance, Energy Poverty Nexus targets national capacity building in seven pilot countries: Bulgaria, Croatia, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Poland, and Spain, while extending its impact to three replication countries. The project aims to support EU Member States in aligning policies with European legislation and in implementing coordinated strategies to alleviate energy poverty.

A key component of the project is the establishment of seven energy poverty observatories/national networks of experts. These observatories will collect and analyse data, monitor energy poverty indicators, and facilitate collaboration among policymakers, stakeholders, and experts. By providing structured frameworks for monitoring and intervention, Energy Poverty Nexus aims to accelerate long-term, coordinated action across Europe and support the implementation of the EU Fit for 55 package.

GENDER4POWER
Coordinated by WIP Renewable Energies, GENDER4POWER aims to improve living conditions and energy efficiency in buildings and households affected by energy poverty. The project emphasises a holistic, gender-responsive, multi-stakeholder approach to renewable energy and energy efficiency, in line with EU strategies such as the Gender Equality Strategy and the Energy Efficiency Directive.

GENDER4POWER will develop in six demonstration sites in Slovenia, Lithuania, Austria, Greece, Spain, and Germany. These sites will showcase measures such as energy renovations, efficiency improvements, and renewable energy solutions. The project also focuses on capacity building and skills enhancement to encourage active participation of citizens and marginalized groups. Through its work, GENDER4POWER aims to provide policy recommendations for national and European contexts and demonstrate the potential of gender-responsive projects in tackling energy poverty. 

Renew-It
Coordinated by RESSORTS, Renew-It will focus on lowering the cost of deep energy retrofits in multifamily buildings through collective self-retrofit practices, while promoting community engagement and skills development. The project aims to the challenge that families in energy poverty often cannot afford extensive retrofits without substantial financial support.

Renew-It will pilot three sites in France, Germany, and Spain, combining professional supervision with active participation from residents. The project will develop skills assessment tools, training programs, and improved business and financing models to make retrofits more accessible. By leveraging alternative funding sources such as educational or unemployment funds, Renew-It aims to reduce retrofit costs, support green job creation, and foster positive neighborhood transformation.

These three projects demonstrate the EU’s ongoing commitment to addressing energy poverty through diverse, practical, and inclusive approaches. Each initiative offers a distinct pathway, from gender-focused solutions and national policy frameworks to innovative community-driven retrofits, to improve energy access and living conditions for vulnerable households across Europe. You can find more projects working on energy poverty on the EPAH website's list of EU-funded projects and on the EPAH ATLAS.