EnPover– Alleviating Energy Poverty in Municipalities

Private households in the EU contribute a considerable share to the overall GHG emissions. At the same time, they often suffer from rising energy bills and thus are prone to energy poverty. Low-cost energy efficiency measures are a promising answer to these challenges. They can include small-scale investments and/or a change of energy consumption behaviours. Both can be facilitated by local authorities. This is a contribution to the overall climate targets of the project countries and therefore perfectly links to the European 2030 climate and energy efficiency targets.

While this project fosters dialogue with the aim of mutual learning from good examples, awareness-raising, and knowledge transfer between municipal key actors, a further project that involves the group of vulnerable private households seems desirable.

EnPover Municipalities pursued an ecological and a social goal: on the one hand, reducing greenhouse gas emissions from private households, and on the other hand, reduceing energy poverty among low-income private households. To achieve both goals, municipal actors were enabled to better support the affected households. To achieve this, the project promoted low-cost energy saving measures and focused on municipal initiatives and programmes in Poland, Hungary and Germany.

 The project collected around 40 good practices for successful municipal measures targeting households at risk of energy poverty. These were compiled in a brochure and made available to other municipalities wishing to facilitate the implementation of cost-effective energy efficiency measures in vulnerable households in their area.  

In addition, the project produced a toolkit for tailored support programmes that facilitate the implementation of energy efficiency measures in households experiencing energy poverty. The toolkit guides municipal practitioners through all key steps of the process, starting from the assessment of energy poverty at the local level, through the development of targeted action plans and the implementation of different measures, to monitoring activities.

View on industrial area in Poland, Photo: ©Marcin Jozwiak

Based on the lessons learned and best practices collected during the project, seven of the ten participating municipalities have launched awareness campaigns aimed at raising the energy awareness of vulnerable citizens. They were also informed about how they can improve their precarious energy situation at little or no cost and where they can apply for funding for major improvements.

• Enhanced municipal capacity to reduce energy poverty and emissions: Targeted capacity-building and networking activities enabled ten municipalities in Poland (Jasło, Sztum and Zamość), Hungary (Miskolc; Szentendre; Tibolddaróc; Bükkábrány; Pilisborosjenő) and Germany (Nuremberg and Munich) to significantly improve their ability to plan and implement measures for energy-poor households. This enhanced institutional capacity led to tangible local action: awareness-raising campaigns were launched in seven pilot cities to promote energy-saving behaviour among vulnerable households. This reduces energy consumption at the household level and indirectly contributes to local emission reductions while simultaneously addressing social challenges. 
• Establishment of an effective municipal network of experts for sustainable action on energy poverty: The project created an active transnational network of experts in which municipal actors shared knowledge and engaged in targeted peer learning. Participants developed practical skills in analysing energy poverty and devising and implementing effective measures, as evidenced by their intensive dialogue on specific case studies, tools and proven solutions from several European countries. Virtual study visits (to Germany and Hungary via video-supported online presentations and to Poland via short videos on local energy-saving measures) further strengthened the interaction between the pilot cities. This sustainable networking promotes the long-term delivery and rollout of energy-saving measures in municipalities. 
• Sustainable knowledge transfer through a practice-oriented toolkit against energy poverty: The project has compiled an extensive collection of proven practical examples from Poland, Hungary and Germany and used them to develop a practice-oriented toolkit for municipal experts that provides step-by-step guidance on analysing energy poverty, involving vulnerable households and implementing practical measures. The toolkit promotes skills-based action in municipalities and facilitates the delivery of proven energy efficiency measures. Its publication as a freely accessible toolkit and a supplementary good practice booklet makes it easier for other cities to replicate tried and tested approaches.