Pilot policies

ENPOR will launch and encourage the replication of 10 energy efficiency policies to tackle the split incentive and lock-in barriers in the PRS based on findings from past schemes.

In addition to the design of policies, activities in each Member State will include:

  1. guidance on aligning energy poverty policies with structural funding frameworks;
  2. knowledge exchange between stakeholders and experts to align ENPOR policies with national and EU objectives; and
  3. triggering their replication at EU level. Alignment with National Energy and Climate Plans (NECP) as part of the Energy Union Governance regulations will be ensured.

The selection of the 10 ENPOR policies was performed taking into consideration their significant contribution to the alleviation of energy poverty until 2030 and their integration into the draft National Energy and Climate Plans (as of end of 2019).

As a result, the ENPOR policies are selected based on urban location (inner city/core urban area/suburban), governance arrangements, predominant mode of financing, principal energy supply mode, energy efficiency of the housing stock, and level of political participation.

They are clustered in:

  1. Grants for building renovations, including fuel switch and small-scale renewables;
  2. Training & Information, Soft measures; and
  3. Programme support action, including guidelines to better identify energy poverty.

They will be implemented and assessed in a way that cross-comparisons can be made, and useful lessons can be drawn for their replication across the EU. Policy syntheses will then include the key aspects of each policy:

  • Target area, to define where to implement the policy (geographical conditions, national frameworks);
  • Scale, to define at what scale the policy should be implemented and possible multilevel governance implications;
  • Target group and capability including the gender and social dimensions;
  • Legal, financial and social conditions, to clarify possible barriers/conditions to be verified for a successful implementation;
  • Outreach channels and conversion rates to action, to understand effective routes for delivery in the PRS.

ENPOR 10 pilot policies

Low-threshold, targetgroup-specific consulting (training, soft measure)

Development of target group-specific consultation and advise material for energy poverty groups, which are as low-threshold as possible and include other stress situations in addition to energy-related questions.

Thermal renovation measures for energy poverty (grant for renovation)

Through incentives a socially acceptable design for thermal refurbishment can be made possible, as now it is primarily aimed at middle-class households.

Heating related energy advice (training and information)

Further development of the ElectricitySavingCheck Programme to include heating related energy advice provided to low-income households including low-cost measures.

Pre-paid metering EnergieRevolte (training and information)

Free switch from existing electricity provider to a digital prepaid meter that can be monitored by customers and charged just-in-time via a smartphone app or online interface.

EE National reconstruction grant (grant for renovation)

The grant is designed for associations and communities wishing to reconstruct their apartment buildings as completely as possible. It may cover a percentage of total project cost depending on the level of integration in the reconstruction of the relevant apartment building.

Energy Efficiency Obligation Scheme (EEOs)

It aims at improving the existing scheme, which foresees that Obligated Parties within the EEOs that deliver measures targeting energy poor households, have an increment in reaching their target.

Energy upgrade of buildings (grant for renovation)

Provision of financial assistance to energy poor households to improve the energy efficiency of their housing. It is an upgrade of the Energy Efficiency at Household Buildings Programme focused on energy poor households.

National Programme for Renovation of Buildings (grant for renovation)

The National Programme for Renovation of Buildings for the period 2013-2020 aims to undertake renovation activities, ensuring that part of benefited households are those in energy poverty.

National Programme on Training and Information on Energy Efficiency

Information campaigns aiming at changing behaviour for energy saving and improving energy efficiency at home as well as increasing the access to the existing tax deduction scheme for energy renovation.

Energy Box (program support)

It aims at reducing energy costs by introducing low cost energy savings measures (provided in an energy box) and by a personal advice on energy saving.