POWERTY - Renewable energy for vulnerable groups

The POWERTY project, financed by INTERREG EUROPE 2014-2020 with a budget of €1 million, had the objective of increasing the use of renewable energies by vulnerable groups. The decarbonisation of the European energy system will require all citizens to make full use of renewable energies. However, currently, many people face difficulties in accessing renewable energy facilities and equipment, as a result of economic and technological issues, particularly people facing energy poverty. In this context, the project aimed to improve regional policy instruments targeting 4 topics:
1) Identify new innovative renewable energy technologies aimed at vulnerable groups, including collective and urban energy systems, 2) New formulas for financing renewable energies suitable for vulnerable groups,
3) Improvements in the regulatory framework for renewable energies and vulnerable groups,
4) Empowerment of vulnerable groups and social innovation to stimulate citizen participation of these social groups.

As a result, new renewable energy installations were facilitated to provide safe and clean energy to vulnerable households, with greater participation, integration and empowerment of these people in the energy transition. Over 4 years, 6 regional partners from Spain, France, Bulgaria, Poland and Lithuania, with the support of the University of Manchester, developed a complete learning process to facilitate an effective knowledge flow between these regions. More than 50 good practices and almost 50 events involving 60 stakeholders established 5 Regional Action Plans covering a population of more than 25 million inhabitants.

Some concrete key performance indicators (KPIs) of the project include:

• Additional capacity for renewable energy production for vulnerable groups (kW): 1,300.
• Number of residential housing units that consume renewable energy (collective or individual projects) concerning vulnerable groups: 1,000.
• Number of funded projects with energy poor household applicants: 50.
• Number of homes/buildings that consume renewable energy belonging to vulnerable groups: 1,000.
• Number of households with increased energy efficiency addressed to vulnerable groups: 150.

The project started in 2019 and was completed in 2023.

Main beneficiaries: the elderly, disabled, energy poor, low income and others.

It addressed the topics of: Climate change, communities, financing schemes, health, heating and cooling system, information and awareness, law and legislation, regulation, renewable energy, vulnerable consumers.

The partners of the project were: Andalusian Energy Agency (AEA), regional partner. Auvergne Rhônes-Alpes Energy Environment Agency (AURA-EE), regional partner. Energy Agency of Plovdiv (EAP), regional partner. The Agglometation Opole Trust, (AOT) regional partner. The Public Investment and Development Agency (VIPA), regional partner. University of Manchester (UM), advisory partner.