An estimated 34 million people in the European Union are experiencing energy poverty. This means their energy bills consume a large proportion of their income or when they are forced to take energy reducing measures to lower their usage. The Energy Poverty Advisory Hub has been set up to assist Local Authorities in their mission to reduce Energy Poverty in European homes.
What is Energy Poverty?
In cases, energy poverty occurs when energy bills represent a high percentage of the income of consumers and it can affect their capacity to cover other expenses. It can as well occur when consumers are forced to reduce the energy consumption of their households and consequently this affects their physical and mental health and well-being. Additionally, low household incomes, inefficient buildings and appliances, and specific household energy needs contribute to the challenge. It is estimated that about 34 million people in the European Union are experiencing energy poverty to a variety of degrees with the most vulnerable demographic groups being the most affected.
The EU Energy Poverty Observatory (EPOV) has prepared a Member State Report which provides an overview of the energy poverty situation in Ireland at a glance. With key indicators, policies and publications, it offers an understanding of the key aspects of energy poverty in Ireland.
Energy Poverty Advisory Hub (EPAH)
The Energy Poverty Advisory Hub (EPAH) is the leading EU initiative aiming to eradicate energy poverty and accelerate the just energy transition of European local governments.
EPAH’s mission is to be the central platform of energy poverty expertise in Europe for local authorities and all stakeholders interested in taking action to combat energy poverty in Europe by providing direct support, online trainings, and research results and by building a collaborative network of stakeholders interested in taking action to combat energy poverty in Europe.
Building on the EU Energy Poverty Observatory legacy, the EPAH adapts an action-based approach by creating a space for collaboration and exchange for local and regional authorities planning a variety of measures to tackle energy poverty in the pursuit of a just and fair transition.
How Can Irish Local Authorities Benefit From The EPAH?
- Explore the online EPAH ATLAS to discover local and international projects as well as measures addressing energy poverty across the world and get inspiration for your own projects. Se the video below explaining the Atlas and Case Studies available on it.
- Join the EPAH Online Courses that are available on their website and their Monthly Lunch Talks which are announced on their website and social media.
- When looking to implement your own Energy Poverty project the EPAH Helpdesk will point you in the right direction.
- Finally, there is also the chance to apply to open calls in the upcoming years to support local authorities and municipalities. Selected cities will be guided by expert organisations and the EPAH team to implement their plan.
For more information on the EPAH or the upcoming EPAH Events contact edima@southeastenergy.ie
The introduction of the Energy Poverty Advisory Hub (EPAH) Handbooks, “A Guide to Understanding and Addressing Energy Poverty’’ is the first in a series of three practical guidebooks for local governments and practitioners to tackle energy poverty with a comprehensive and locally adapted approach.
This introductory handbook provides an insight to the concept of energy poverty, with a close look on its main causes and vulnerability factors that can lead households or individuals into energy poverty. It also provides an introduction to the circular methodology of energy poverty, structured in three phases that is diagnosis, planning, implementation to plan targeted actions at the local level.
Future handbooks will focus on one of the three main phases and provide additional practical information and concrete tools to apply.
These handbooks are meant to provide you with a framework and a checklist that you can use to tailor solutions and develop specific methodology to your local context.
Discover the first handbook below.
The Energy Poverty Advisory Hub hosted their annual conference on September 19th and 20th, 2023. Municipalities, energy agencies, European bodies, and private organisations from across Europe gathered at the Palace of Nature and Science in Warsaw to discuss energy poverty. This energy poverty annual conference consisted of keynote addresses from leading officials as well as panel discussions and workshops looking at the different aspects of energy poverty. South East Energy Agency was honoured to host one such workshop through the Interreg North West Europe SCEPA project.
Read our news story about the conference below.