Offering consumers the best deals on renewable technologies
The EU is making it easier and more affordable for consumers to transition to renewable energy. One notable example is the Clean energy for all Europeans package adopted in 2019. Millions began installing photovoltaic (PV) panels and switching to more energy-efficient (EE) heating systems. “However, several barriers stand in the way of consumers benefitting from such technologies,” comments Eoin Kelly, energy policy officer at the European Consumer Organisation (BEUC). “Many remain unaware of these advantageous opportunities.”
Consumers leading the energy transition
To address the problem, the EU-funded CLEAR-X project is engaging 38 000 consumers in collective purchase campaigns in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Slovakia and Slovenia. The widespread engagement will trigger over EUR 27 million total investments in renewable energy source (RES) technology installations by consumers. This should also result in an additional 40 GWh of renewable energy production and generate 2.15 GWh of primary energy savings. The consortium is helping inform a significant number of consumers in the six countries about the potential benefits of EE and RES technologies. It aims to inspire an additional 17 000 consumers to act and save energy. To facilitate adoption of these technologies, CLEAR-X will also advocate for better regulation and incentives for consumers concerning RES technologies, products and services. As of November 2022, six collective purchase campaigns have been launched, with over 5 700 consumers already registered. This has led to more than EUR 1.5 million in RES and EE technology investments and 1.23 GWh in primary energy savings. Seven additional campaigns will be launched by the time the project ends in 2024.
Policy improvements facilitate adoption of renewables
The CLEAR-X partners analysed the target countries’ existing regulatory environment and funding schemes. They identified eight key barriers to RES installations and developed eight policy recommendations that have been put forward to the national governments. For example, the Slovak consumer organisation Spoločnosti ochrany spotrebiteľov (S.O.S.) successfully advocated for improvements to state subsidies for EE and RES. The ‘Renovate a House’ scheme was reformulated so that 95 % of renovation costs would now be covered for vulnerable households unable to afford the financial costs. For non-vulnerable households, the budget was increased, and products such as PV panels and heat pumps were added to the list of products the state would reimburse. Funding for gas boiler installations was completely stopped. Because of S.O.S.’s advocacy work, the Slovak Environment Agency now provides advice and administrative support to applicants of the scheme. S.O.S. also successfully lobbied for improvements to the Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency’s ‘Green to Households’ scheme. The budget for RES installations was increased. Moreover, applications for the scheme are now open-ended rather than on a first come, first served basis that saw funding run out within a few hours and reach only the most informed consumers.
Supporting consumer organisations across Europe
Building on the experience gathered from CLEAR 2.0 CLEAR-X is expanding on the proven collective purchase campaign model. It is engaging and supporting consumer organisations in Central, Eastern and Southern Europe in the launch of schemes for consumers. Upskilling these additional consumer organisations has been done through the creation of a manual on organising such collective actions. The efforts have been supported by workshops further explaining the processes behind organising a successful collective purchase campaign. BEUC, responsible for coordinating CLEAR-X, distributed the manual to its 46 members in 32 countries.
Keywords
CLEAR-X, consumer, RES, household, collective purchase campaign, consumer organisation, funding scheme, renewable energy source
