SOL: Solar Energy for Multi-Family Buildings in Lithuania

Lithuania has one of the highest energy poverty rates in the entire European Union. Increasing the use of renewable energy has significant potential both for optimising building refurbishment and for reducing energy poverty. Germany can offer good practices and expertise regarding the integration of renewable energy in the refurbishment of multi-family buildings.

The project “EUKI SOL – Solar Energy for Multi-Family Buildings in Lithuania” identified and examined relevant areas for applying solar energy (photovoltaic and solar thermal energy) solutions in Lithuanian apartment buildings. The main part of the project consisted in analysing and describing social and technical issues which need to be addressed in order to introduce and scale up solar energy in the renovation of multi-family buildings in Lithuania. During the project, information was provided to apartment residents and owners as well as other relevant stakeholders in Lithuania on the potential of solar energy and on how the required changes in policy and legislation may be brought about. 

Solar Panels on a multi-family building in Berlin. Photo: IWO e.V.

• Policy recommendations for the building sector: The report “Solar Energy for Multi Family Houses in Lithuania”, published as part of the project, outlines specific recommendations for action. These analyses were discussed at several dialogue forums with more than 180 participants, including the Minister of Energy and the Minister of the Environment.
  
• Influence on national subsidy policy: Recommendations from the project were incorporated into the reform of Lithuania's subsidy landscape for climate-friendly renovations. They include subsidies for heat pumps, the introduction of a prosumer model and targeted subsidies for low-income households. 
• Support for systematic climate protection planning: The project team developed a tool for decarbonization in the healthcare sector, enabling hospitals to systematically integrate climate protection into their planning. It provides employees with tools for calculating emissions, templates, practical instructions, and case studies, making it easier for them to draw up their own climate protection plans. The toolkit was presented at the European Healthcare Climate Summit 2021 and at CleanMed Europe, reaching key players who are driving climate protection in the healthcare sector across Europe.