Periodic Reporting for period 2 - CLEAR-X (Consumers Leading the EU’s Energy Ambition Response, Expansion)
Reporting period: 2022-12-01 to 2024-02-29
What is the problem/issue being addressed? EU buildings are responsible for 40% of the energy consumption in Europe, and roughly 75% of the existing building stock is currently energy inefficient. During the inception phase of this project (2020), 75% of heating supply in the EU was based on fossil fuels, making further decarbonization of the energy system crucial to reaching climate objectives for 2030 and 2050. Transitioning to a power sector largely based on renewable sources, along with the rapid phase-out of fossil fuels, is essential, and this has been further reinforced by the energy crisis and the need to reduce EU dependency on Russian gas. The increased use of renewable energy sources (RES) and energy-efficient (EE) technologies must be central to the energy transition. These measures are crucial for the EU to achieve climate neutrality by 2050.
Why is it important for society? In December 2019, the European Commission launched the European Green Deal with the aim of making Europe climate neutral by 2050. The energy crisis, beginning in 2021 with the economic rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic and exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has further underlined the importance of transition to renewables and improving energy efficiency across the continent. While the Clean Energy Package has enabled many consumers to install photovoltaic panels and switch to more energy-efficient heating systems, consumers often face several challenges. These include difficulties in obtaining accurate information about new technologies, a lack of economic incentives, perceptions of the transition as a hassle, unawareness of available funding support, and limited access to independent advice. Additionally, there are numerous administrative, technical, and financial barriers to adopting RES and EE technologies.
What are the overall objectives? CLEAR-X aimed to empower consumers to lead the energy transition by investing in RES and EE technologies. It sought to make household renewables affordable through trusted information, collective purchase schemes, and regulatory improvements, enhancing home energy performance and reducing energy bills. The resulting impact of this objective was the installation of 1,777 RES and EE products.
Why is it important for society? In December 2019, the European Commission launched the European Green Deal with the aim of making Europe climate neutral by 2050. The energy crisis, beginning in 2021 with the economic rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic and exacerbated by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, has further underlined the importance of transition to renewables and improving energy efficiency across the continent. While the Clean Energy Package has enabled many consumers to install photovoltaic panels and switch to more energy-efficient heating systems, consumers often face several challenges. These include difficulties in obtaining accurate information about new technologies, a lack of economic incentives, perceptions of the transition as a hassle, unawareness of available funding support, and limited access to independent advice. Additionally, there are numerous administrative, technical, and financial barriers to adopting RES and EE technologies.
What are the overall objectives? CLEAR-X aimed to empower consumers to lead the energy transition by investing in RES and EE technologies. It sought to make household renewables affordable through trusted information, collective purchase schemes, and regulatory improvements, enhancing home energy performance and reducing energy bills. The resulting impact of this objective was the installation of 1,777 RES and EE products.
With ICRT guidance, consumer organisations in the target countries learned how to conduct market research and analysed their renewable energy market to identify national products that were suitable for consumers and that were available at the time of the collective purchase campaigns (CPCs). Based on the outcome of this research, ICRT tested the products selected by the consumer organisations, which in turn informed the consumers about the testing results as well as other benefits of installing RES (renewable energy sources) and EE (energy efficient) technologies.
CLEAR-X partners learned how to organize a CPC through the manual compiled by ZPS and DECOP. They established a CPC action plan and started negotiations with potential suppliers, which were selected based on a pre-established evaluation grid to ensure that the selection process was transparent and fair, and would bring the best deal possible to consumers. After the negotiation phase, partners launched 9 CPCs, resulting in 1,777 installations of RES and EE products.
A comprehensive communication strategy emphasised the advantages of RES and EE technologies to both consumers and journalists. Partners implemented numerous communication activities across multiple channels, including social media, TV, radio, and events. Additionally, digital tools were used to illustrate potential energy savings when installing one or more products promoted through the CLEAR-X project, encouraging consumer participation in the CPCs. These efforts led to 17,501 consumers registering for campaign landing pages.
CLEAR-X partners assessed the implementation of relevant EU legislative acts, and consequently put forward 8 recommendations to improve consumer access to renewable energy and renewable energy technologies. Since then, partners advocated towards their governments on how to empower consumers in the energy transition and simplify the process of switching to renewable energy. As a result of their advocacy efforts, a total of 13 policies and strategies were created/adapted to incorporate sustainable energy issues at the government level.
Since it's early inception, the project had its website in place, promotion materials available, as well as a dissemination plan to guide partners throughout their dissemination actions in the target countries. Dissemination actions were implemented through different communication channels, as well as through the participation in working groups, conferences/events at national and EU level as well as via cooperation with other H2020 energy projects and with like-minded organisations. Since September 2022, BEUC started a quarterly newsletter aimed at updating policymakers, civil society organizations, and industry associations about the project's activities and outcomes. By the project's conclusion, the readership of the newsletter had doubled, reaching a total of 109 readers. A final event brought together 40 stakeholders to discuss the project's challenges and lessons learned.
CLEAR-X partners learned how to organize a CPC through the manual compiled by ZPS and DECOP. They established a CPC action plan and started negotiations with potential suppliers, which were selected based on a pre-established evaluation grid to ensure that the selection process was transparent and fair, and would bring the best deal possible to consumers. After the negotiation phase, partners launched 9 CPCs, resulting in 1,777 installations of RES and EE products.
A comprehensive communication strategy emphasised the advantages of RES and EE technologies to both consumers and journalists. Partners implemented numerous communication activities across multiple channels, including social media, TV, radio, and events. Additionally, digital tools were used to illustrate potential energy savings when installing one or more products promoted through the CLEAR-X project, encouraging consumer participation in the CPCs. These efforts led to 17,501 consumers registering for campaign landing pages.
CLEAR-X partners assessed the implementation of relevant EU legislative acts, and consequently put forward 8 recommendations to improve consumer access to renewable energy and renewable energy technologies. Since then, partners advocated towards their governments on how to empower consumers in the energy transition and simplify the process of switching to renewable energy. As a result of their advocacy efforts, a total of 13 policies and strategies were created/adapted to incorporate sustainable energy issues at the government level.
Since it's early inception, the project had its website in place, promotion materials available, as well as a dissemination plan to guide partners throughout their dissemination actions in the target countries. Dissemination actions were implemented through different communication channels, as well as through the participation in working groups, conferences/events at national and EU level as well as via cooperation with other H2020 energy projects and with like-minded organisations. Since September 2022, BEUC started a quarterly newsletter aimed at updating policymakers, civil society organizations, and industry associations about the project's activities and outcomes. By the project's conclusion, the readership of the newsletter had doubled, reaching a total of 109 readers. A final event brought together 40 stakeholders to discuss the project's challenges and lessons learned.
Through CLEAR-X's communication efforts promoting the benefits of adopting RES and EE technologies, the project successfully influenced 25,841.22 consumers to change their purchasing behavior towards these technologies. Partners conducted 9 CPCs across Bulgaria, Cyprus, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Slovakia, and Slovenia, resulting in 17,501 registrations and 1,777 installations of RES and EE products, with €7.24 million invested in sustainable energy technologies. This led to the production of 10.50 GWh/year of renewable energy, and primary energy savings of 2.85 GWh/year. Additionally, 651 tonnes of CO2 emissions were reduced.
Although the engagement and sales/installations goals of the project fell short of the initial targets, the total volume of installations remained proportionate to the estimated ratio compared to the number of registered consumers, typically observed at 10% for CPCs. Several challenges contributed to fewer consumer registrations than initially planned: the lack of incentives for renewable energy in some countries, unattractive green loans due to high interest rates, and disruptions such as the cessation of state subsidies midway through the campaign implementation, which jeopardized or postponed consumer decisions. Market fluctuations and complexities in accessing the grid also posed additional challenges.
On the policy front, CLEAR-X's advocacy efforts led to the creation or adaptation of 13 policies and strategies to incorporate sustainable energy issues at various governance levels. However, national challenges persist in several countries. Bulgaria faces delayed climate legislation due to political instability, Cyprus experiences slow grid connection processes, and Lithuania grapples with industry demand for greater network capacity conflicting with consumer access to renewables. North Macedonia struggles with renewables perceived as a luxury, requiring price adjustments, while Slovakia's sudden renewables subsidy cancellation dampens consumer interest. Slovenia faces a shortage of skilled installers, emphasizing the need for upskilling initiatives and EU-wide campaigns to attract younger talent to the field.
Although the engagement and sales/installations goals of the project fell short of the initial targets, the total volume of installations remained proportionate to the estimated ratio compared to the number of registered consumers, typically observed at 10% for CPCs. Several challenges contributed to fewer consumer registrations than initially planned: the lack of incentives for renewable energy in some countries, unattractive green loans due to high interest rates, and disruptions such as the cessation of state subsidies midway through the campaign implementation, which jeopardized or postponed consumer decisions. Market fluctuations and complexities in accessing the grid also posed additional challenges.
On the policy front, CLEAR-X's advocacy efforts led to the creation or adaptation of 13 policies and strategies to incorporate sustainable energy issues at various governance levels. However, national challenges persist in several countries. Bulgaria faces delayed climate legislation due to political instability, Cyprus experiences slow grid connection processes, and Lithuania grapples with industry demand for greater network capacity conflicting with consumer access to renewables. North Macedonia struggles with renewables perceived as a luxury, requiring price adjustments, while Slovakia's sudden renewables subsidy cancellation dampens consumer interest. Slovenia faces a shortage of skilled installers, emphasizing the need for upskilling initiatives and EU-wide campaigns to attract younger talent to the field.