Empowering women to take action against energy poverty in the Mediterranean

Project Information

EmpowerMed

Grant agreement ID: 847052

DOI

10.3030/847052

Project closed

EC signature date 8 April 2019

Start date 1 September 2019

End date 31 August 2023

Funded under

• SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Secure, clean and efficient energy

Total cost

€ 1 982 150,00

EU contribution

€ 1 982 150,00

Coordinated by

FOCUS DRUSTVO ZA SONARAVEN RAZVOJ
Slovenia

Periodic Reporting for period 3 - EmpowerMed (Empowering women to take action against energy poverty in the Mediterranean)

Reporting period: 2022-09-01 to 2023-08-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

In the coastal areas of Mediterranean countries, the challenge of energy poverty comes with a highlighted cooling component. Lack of pre-installed central heating, electricity-based heating, none or low insulation and a high level of deteriorated housing stock also mark the region. Coastal urban areas being ‘hotspots’ of tourism, housing unaffordability is an issue, also linked to the precarious, low-quality jobs in the area.

Women and women-led households are disproportionately affected by energy poverty, while women’s participation is necessary in acting against energy poverty. Generally, there is a higher share of women who are at risk of poverty and social exclusion than men.

Energy poverty has significant impacts on people’s health. Health effects associated with energy poverty include anxiety, stress and depression but also increased physical morbidity rates and greater mortality rise.

Against this backdrop, project EmpowerMed aimed to contribute to energy poverty alleviation and health improvement of people affected by energy poverty in the coastal areas of Mediterranean countries, with a particular focus on women, through:
- implementing practical solutions to empower people, affected by energy poverty, to manage their energy consumption and improve their access to appropriate energy resources,
- assessing the efficiency and impacts of various practical energy poverty alleviation measures to formulate local, national and EU policy recommendations and
- promoting the policy solutions for tackling energy poverty at local, national and EU level.

EmpowerMed implemented actions in six pilot areas: Barcelona, Spain; Vlora, Albania; Marseille, France; Padova, Italy; Obala, Slovenia and Zadar, Croatia.

EmpowerMed mobilised 203 local actors (140 women) and trained 527 (297 women) local key actors. With the support of these actors, EmpowerMed empowered 8,871 women and men, affected by energy poverty, to tackle energy poverty. It achieved 1,85 GWh/year primary energy savings, 20.000€ of investments in sustainable energy, 287 tCO2 eq/year reduction of greenhouse gases emissions and 327,000€ of economic savings. It also installed two photovoltaic installations to show how utilisation of renewables can benefit people affected by energy poverty. Project's advocacy activities have mobilised 4,305 key actors to tackle energy poverty (250 representatives of utilities, 229 health experts, 2421 decision-makers, 586 energy (poverty) experts and 814 social actors).

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The first step of the project was to analyse the pilots, resulting in 6 reports on the situation in the pilot sites. Two key reports were finalised, one on the analysis of experiences and lessons learned in previous EU projects and one on the analysis of financial schemes for energy poverty from gender perspective. 203 local actors and stakeholders were mobilised to take part in the project implementation.

In the second step, a set of 19 different training materials was developed. 28 training sessions and workshops were implemented to share the existing know-how and experiences among the partners. Partners then implemented over 34 further training events mainly for local actors, sharing know-how and experience with 527 (297 women) key actors.

Equipped with knowledge, the partners and their local allies started to implement the practical activities for tackling energy poverty. 127 collective assemblies were implemented, directly involving 2381 people (1502 women) in peer-to-peer manner of resolving difficulties because of energy poverty and indirectly impacting 5294 people (including the members of the family or household). 690 visits of households (462 for women-led households), affected by energy poverty, were done, delivering a simple energy audit and implementing low-cost energy and water saving measures. Indirectly this action impacted 1811 people. In the field of do-it-yourself energy solutions, 40 different events were implemented (3 photovoltaic workshops, 17 low cost measures workshops and 20 smart-meter readings), supporting 356 people, of whom 233 women. The indirect impact of this action is estimated to be on 962 people. 37 health workshops were organised, supporting 344 people (235 women), in tackling their health issues and energy poverty situation. Finally, 141 people (96 women), were supported in accessing funds for small investments through assessing feasibility and providing support for applying for funds for small investments.

To monitor the implementation of these measures, framework for data collection and analysis was developed, as well as a set of data collection tools and manuals. Analysis of the implemented actions was done, comparing the actions and assessing which played a stronger role under different circumstances in tackling energy poverty. Additionally, a cross-pilot analysis researched into the achievements of the practical actions and juxtaposed them against the three cross-cutting themes of the project – women, health and summertime energy poverty.

Findings on energy poverty were translated into appropriate policy recommendations. 6 national level and 1 EU level policy recommendation sets were developed. Variety of advocacy activities at local, national and EU level were advocating for energy poverty policy solutions among 4,305 key actors to tackle energy poverty (250 representatives of utilities, 229 health experts, 2421 decision-makers, 586 energy (poverty) experts and 814 social actors).

Finally, the communication and dissemination of the project was very successful: over 21,600 views of the website, project presented on over 80 occasions (outreach to 238.000 people), just under 300 media appearances were spotted (outreach to just under 55 million people) and over 850 social media posts covered the project (over 483,000 views and 16,000 interactions). The project was also presented to different EU-level networks on 12 occasions, reaching out to over 5,000 people. Finally, EmpowerMed was presented in 19 academic articles and other scientific work.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

EmpowerMed helped to raise the visibility of summertime energy poverty, gender aspects and links between health and energy poverty.

EmpowerMed brought new research into this nexus with data from over 670 people affected by energy poverty participating in the survey.

Having mobilised 203 local actors and trained 527 representatives of local key actors, EmpowerMed is leaving a legacy of awareness and capacity of local actors to support energy poverty actions at different levels.

EmpowerMed highlighted utility debt as an under-recognised dimension of the lived experience of energy poverty for which collective action can bring relief at a societal level. EmpowerMed freed 29 people (of whom 21 women) from debt and made a significant contribution to lifting 35,000 people from debt with Endesa in Spain.

EmpowerMed showed that women are strong actors in the implementation of solutions to energy poverty and at the same time are defenders of the right to energy in their homes and communities.

EmpowerMed's policy recommendations are included in Commission staff working document, which is accompanying the document Commission Recommendation on energy poverty. Apart from that, EmpowerMed was a part of action that stimulated that Energy Efficiency Directive acknowledges that the energy transition affects women and men differently and that women are more at risk of being affected by energy poverty.

EmpowerMed