Energy Poverty mitigation in Europe: Potential role for Renewable Energy Communities

EnR Study on Policy and Implementation status across Europe

The European Commission has emphasized the need for alleviating energy poverty, which represents a complex issue, as a key pillar in the context of a just and fair transition within the EU Green Deal, and the subsequent Renovation Wave.

Energy poverty is severely affecting many European countries. We face this reality at a moment when, to deliver on the European Green Deal and substantially reduce greenhouse gas emissions, massive energy savings must be achieved, and at the same time we must speed up deployment of renewable energy sources to decrease our dependence on imported fossil fuels. Energy efficiency measures that can help tackle energy poverty require large and long-term investments, but these have positive externalities such as reduced health costs and other macroeconomic benefits.

The European Energy Network developed a study on policy implementation and the current status of energy poverty in Europe. The study focuses on the enabling role of energy agencies in the context of renewable energy communities to combat energy poverty. It covers the effectiveness of current policy measures, including strategies for just clean energy access, and financing mechanisms considering special emergency measures for the recovery from the Covid-19 and the war in Ukraine. Under the leadership of the Industry and Energy Transition Department (DITE) at ADENE, Portuguese Energy Agency, the study was coordinated together with six other agencies joining the study’s Steering Committee (ADEME, Agency for Ecological Transition, France; AEA, Austrian Energy Agency; CRES, Centre for Renewable Energy Sources and Saving, Greece; Dena, German Energy Agency; Energy Saving Trust, United Kingdom, RVO, Netherlands Enterprise Agency) and received contributions from a total of 14 agencies across Europe.

The study was presented at a webinar, on March 14th, 2023, gathering over 150 participants. Full information on the webinar, speakers, presentations and video of the event can be obtained here.  

Click on the images below to access the FULL STUDY, ANNEXES (available soon) and PRESENTATION.