Periodic Reporting for period 1 - CEES (Community Energy for Energy Solidarity)
Reporting period: 2021-06-01 to 2022-11-30
The current fossil fuel crisis in the EU, triggered largely by post-COVID supply disruptions and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, has drawn attention to the chronic problem of how high energy prices (in relation to available income) undermine daily life for millions of EU citizens. It is well-documented that ‘energy poverty’ contributes to poor physical and mental health, negatively affects the ability of individuals and households to participate in social and economic activities, and carries high costs for individuals and for governments.
The need to accelerate the just clean energy transition is clear. CEES believes that ‘energy solidarity’ is a key principle of such a transition, with energy communities (ECs) having an important role. Across four countries (Croatia, France, Portugal and the UK), CEES partners will test and evaluate community energy mechanisms to alleviate energy poverty through a variety of solidarity measures. Ultimately, CEES will deliver an Energy Solidarity Toolkit to support upscaling of methods and measures that have been shown to be effective.
The need to accelerate the just clean energy transition is clear. CEES believes that ‘energy solidarity’ is a key principle of such a transition, with energy communities (ECs) having an important role. Across four countries (Croatia, France, Portugal and the UK), CEES partners will test and evaluate community energy mechanisms to alleviate energy poverty through a variety of solidarity measures. Ultimately, CEES will deliver an Energy Solidarity Toolkit to support upscaling of methods and measures that have been shown to be effective.
Since launching in June 2021, CEES has steadily advanced across all aspects of the project proposal.
Raising awareness: The CEES website features news and information about the project, the partners and activities underway. In parallel, CEES is active on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Assessing current actions by energy communities: In autumn 2021, CEES launched an online survey to gauge the degree to which ECs in Europe are taking specific measures to tackle energy poverty. Of about 100 respondents, CEES found that the vast majority (80%) showed strong intent in participation, only about one-third were currently taking action in this area. Many reported not knowing how to get started or where to find the resources needed, given an overarching aim of ECs is to provide low-cost electricity (implying narrow profit margins). The survey confirms the need for a toolkit such as CEES will develop.
Evaluation framework for partner projects and pilots: A key aspect of CEES is to develop frameworks by which to measure the effectiveness of various actions to alleviate energy poverty. Interacting closely with individual CEES partners to understand their diverse actions, researchers developed an evaluation framework that will be applied across the project. They also managed approvals of proposed actions vis-à-vis the University’s ethics committees.
Draft Toolkit: Based on descriptions of activities by CEES partners, a draft toolkit highlights the various ways they: identify who needs assistance, engage with those individuals and other entities that can provide access or support; and act, whether through soft or hard measures, to directly or indirectly alleviate energy poverty. The draft toolkit also examines support mechanisms for ECs, in the form of legal/regulatory frameworks or in terms of financing and funding. Finally, the draft toolkit includes content about how various partners measure the impacts of their actions.
Assessment of EU legal and regulatory frameworks: CEES carried out an evaluation of how such frameworks have evolved over recent decades, finding that the EU has steadily improved support for both ECs and incorporated obligations to tackle energy poverty into important directives. To date, however, alignment across these two areas is lacking, particularly in that there is relatively little support that enhances the ability of ECs to tackle energy poverty.
Financing and funding: An evaluation of CEES partner funding confirms that most must dedicate substantial human resources to securing funding and many have unbalanced portfolios, meaning that most funding comes from a small number of sources, leaving them at risk if the priorities of the funders change or the funder ceases to exist. Recognising this shortcoming, most partners have opted to pilot need funding schemes within the framework of the CEES project.
Defining pilots: Each CEES partner has now defined its pilot project, which will be rolled out over the course of one year. As noted above, several are focusing on strengthening funding, then directing additional funds to deliver more hard or soft measures to more households or to engage more people in workshops (e.g. energy cafes) or home visits to boost energy literacy (energy knowledge and energy know-how).
Full-day workshop and events: In October 2022, CEES hosted a full-day workshop to highlight the project, the partners and activities to date. Approximately 100 people participated and recordings of the sessions posted online. CEES partners have also presented at or participated in numerous other events related to energy communities and/or tackling energy poverty.
Raising awareness: The CEES website features news and information about the project, the partners and activities underway. In parallel, CEES is active on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Assessing current actions by energy communities: In autumn 2021, CEES launched an online survey to gauge the degree to which ECs in Europe are taking specific measures to tackle energy poverty. Of about 100 respondents, CEES found that the vast majority (80%) showed strong intent in participation, only about one-third were currently taking action in this area. Many reported not knowing how to get started or where to find the resources needed, given an overarching aim of ECs is to provide low-cost electricity (implying narrow profit margins). The survey confirms the need for a toolkit such as CEES will develop.
Evaluation framework for partner projects and pilots: A key aspect of CEES is to develop frameworks by which to measure the effectiveness of various actions to alleviate energy poverty. Interacting closely with individual CEES partners to understand their diverse actions, researchers developed an evaluation framework that will be applied across the project. They also managed approvals of proposed actions vis-à-vis the University’s ethics committees.
Draft Toolkit: Based on descriptions of activities by CEES partners, a draft toolkit highlights the various ways they: identify who needs assistance, engage with those individuals and other entities that can provide access or support; and act, whether through soft or hard measures, to directly or indirectly alleviate energy poverty. The draft toolkit also examines support mechanisms for ECs, in the form of legal/regulatory frameworks or in terms of financing and funding. Finally, the draft toolkit includes content about how various partners measure the impacts of their actions.
Assessment of EU legal and regulatory frameworks: CEES carried out an evaluation of how such frameworks have evolved over recent decades, finding that the EU has steadily improved support for both ECs and incorporated obligations to tackle energy poverty into important directives. To date, however, alignment across these two areas is lacking, particularly in that there is relatively little support that enhances the ability of ECs to tackle energy poverty.
Financing and funding: An evaluation of CEES partner funding confirms that most must dedicate substantial human resources to securing funding and many have unbalanced portfolios, meaning that most funding comes from a small number of sources, leaving them at risk if the priorities of the funders change or the funder ceases to exist. Recognising this shortcoming, most partners have opted to pilot need funding schemes within the framework of the CEES project.
Defining pilots: Each CEES partner has now defined its pilot project, which will be rolled out over the course of one year. As noted above, several are focusing on strengthening funding, then directing additional funds to deliver more hard or soft measures to more households or to engage more people in workshops (e.g. energy cafes) or home visits to boost energy literacy (energy knowledge and energy know-how).
Full-day workshop and events: In October 2022, CEES hosted a full-day workshop to highlight the project, the partners and activities to date. Approximately 100 people participated and recordings of the sessions posted online. CEES partners have also presented at or participated in numerous other events related to energy communities and/or tackling energy poverty.
CEES is on track to carry out and evaluate pilot projects and to develop a final Energy Solidarity Toolkit in 2024. In the meantime, it is anticipated that we will continue to assess the pilots and perform a full evaluation to provide contributions to the final Toolkit. Until the end of the project, the focus will be piloting and evaluation, and the replication of the defined measures in other ECs and Cooperatives that wish to adopt the CEES toolkit.