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Support Network for Household Energy Saving
@assist2gether #ASSIST2gether
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4
CONTENT
Energy poverty within the European context
ASSIST project overview
Energy poverty in depth – WP2
HEA training results – WP3
HEA network results – WP4
ASSIST action results – WP5
Consumer communication results – WP6
Policy Orientation results – WP7
Communication and dissemination – WP8
5
8
19
24
34
44
53
60
66
ASSIST – European conferences 9
5
Identification/Recognition Research
Policies Local actions
Tackling Energy Poverty
in Europe
Energy poverty within the European context
Policies & Measures to address energy poverty
6
• Improvements in the energy situation of households
• Financial assistance • Disconnection protection • Information and awareness
Adapted to the specific situation in terms of climate, housing
quality, economy and the structure of energy costs:
Challenge:
• Grounding policies
2006 European projects
Serenade and EPEE
2008 Launch of
the «Citizens'
Energy Forum»
2012 Creation of the Vulnerable Consumers
Working Group (VCWG)2015 SMART-UP
2017 ASSIST
2018 EPOV
Other initiatives -
COST e other
H2020 projects
2018 H2020 topic
on «Mitigating
energy poverty»
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Energy poverty within the European context Initially called «fuel poverty»
8
Call topic: Horizon2020 - EE-06-2016-2017 «Engaging private consumers towards sustainable energy»
Duration: 36 months (1 May 2017 – 30 April 2020) Consortium: 12 partners: 6 countries + 1 European association + Steering committee composed by experts in each country and at European level
Partners Country
AISFOR S.R.L. - RICERCA SUL SISTEMA ENERGETICO S.P.A. - ACQUIRENTE UNICO S.P.A. Italy (3)
ASOCIACIÓN ECOSERVEIS - ALGINET DISTRIBUCIÓN ENERGÍA ELÉCTRICA S.l. Spain (2)
SEVERN WYE ENERGY AGENCY LTD. UK (1)
FEDERACJA KONSUMENTOW STOWARZYSZENIE - KRAJOWA AGENCJA POSZANOWANIA ENERGII SPOLKA AKCYJNA Poland (2)
VLAAMSE INSTELLING VOOR TECHNOLOGISCH ONDERZOEK N.V. - EANDIS CVBA Belgium (2)
VAASAETT Ltd AB OY Finland (1)
EUROPEAN ANTI-POVERTY NETWORK - EAPN European (1)
Where? ASSIST Project Overview
9
Background Barriers and solutions
from other projects
Target with specific needs: energy vulnerability / poverty
Energy poverty as a multisectorial phenomena
10
ASSIST holistic and integrated approach
Vulnerable / Energy
poor consumer
Health system
Energy companies
Social operators
Banks / ESCOs
Consumer associations
House owners / tenants
associations
Municipalities
HEA as a Unique Integrated Contact Point for energy poverty
Integrated approach
HEAs / Association
of HEA
Consumer
Consumer
Consumer
Consumer
Consumer
Consumer
Consumer
Consumer
NO «energy poverty contact point»
Current scenario
11
Operator
ASSIST HEA training
HEA
• Informs. Provides integrated information on how to tackle energy poverty (1 to n)
• Supports. Provides in a customised manner information on how to tackle energy poverty (1 to 1)
• Assists. Assists in a customised and concrete manner through specific actions to tackle energy poverty (1 to 1)
Vulnerable / energy poor consumers
HEA activities: informs/ supports / assist (actions)
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ASSIST model
ASSIST association
Training HEAs / promoting HEA services Unique access point for vulnerable consumers
Trained HEAs access
ASSIST training
Actors
Consumers associations
Municipalities and public
offices Energy
helpdesks
SMART home
market actors
Technicians Social operators
Health and welfare actors
Training Network Action
HEA informs
5.000 consumers 1 HEA to 'n'
consumers in a general manner
Increased level of comfort
HEA supports
2.000 consumers 1 HEA to 1
consumer in a personalised but
general information
Energy saving 2% / increased level of
comfort
HEA action
750 consumers 1 HEA to 1
consumer with personalised and
customised solutions
Energy saving 7% / increased level of
comfort
13
•Market survey •Analysis of ongoing / finished initiatives
•Analysis of existing economic support measures
In-depth analysis
•Definition of HEA profile and training needs
•Creation of training course (structure and material)
•Training of 75 HEA in each country
HEA Training
•Organisation and management of National HEA network
HEA Network
•Definition and implementation of National actions to support vulnerable consumers through the trained HEA and the network
ASSIST Action
ASSIST Activity
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381 (75/country) HEA trained
Training platform with monitoring and reporting tools
2.000 consumers reached through soft action with an energy reduction of 2%
750 consumers reached with ASSIST action with a 7% energy reduction
Increase level of comfort and decrease level of vulnerability
Achieved impact
15
ASSIST Outcome
In depth analysis
Database on financial measures
Best Practice on financial measures
National and European
initiatives to tackle energy poverty
Best Practice of the initiatives
Energy poverty report
Training
HEA European profile
Training guidelines
Training report
Network
Network guidelines
ASSIST HEA network ICT infrastructure
ICT HEA network manual
Report on network, consumption network
and comfort level
Training follow-up report
Action
Market segmentation
report
ASSIST action plan
Report on the action
Policy and communication
Vulnerable consumers Protection
Framework Paper
Communication material for consumers
(factsheets, video, etc.)
Communication material
15
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ASSIST – European conferences Catalan Congress on Energy Poverty - 2018
• Moderator: Harriet Thomson, European Energy Poverty Observatory (EPOV)
• Energy poverty initiatives in Europe (by Marine Cornelis, EU consultant)
• From local action to Europe policy (by Maria Djeliazkova from the European Anti-Poverty Network, EAPN)
• ASSIST project: Network and Action to tackle vulnerability together (by Marina Varvesi from Aisfor)
• (4) EU energy poverty at local level: ASSIST implementation (by Marta Garcia from Ecoserveis).
Round table “From local to global: Tackling energy poverty in Europe”
Around 450 attendees
17
ASSIST – European conferences EUSEW 2019
Energy poverty conference
Session “Multilevel and participatory action to tackle energy poverty”
Interactive stand
Videos Brochure Roll up Factsheets Energy saving material
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ASSIST – European conferences FINAL CONFERENCE
Redesigned as online conference in 3 sessions Firstly organised in Brussels, at EESC headquarters
19
Energy poverty in depth – WP2
Database on financial measures
Best Practice guide on financial measures
Report on national and European measures addressing vulnerable consumers and energy poverty
Report «Replicable Best Practice on National and European
measures»
European market survey on vulnerable consumers needs,
expectation and interest
Report on vulnerable and energy poor consumers
20
Best practices guide on financial measures – D2.1 Online database
https://database.assist2gether.eu
Identification of existing measures
Eligibility with respect to energy poverty Scope of measures Impact of the measure to the most in need Stability of the financial measure Availability of funding Actual usage of the measure in terms of percentage out of the
total of the eligible consumers Financial support or fiscal bureaucracy Finance of the measure Installation and post-installation support
Criteria to identify best practices of
financial measures
21
National and European measures addressing vulnerable consumers and energy poverty - D2.2
Contains full list of national and European measures
22
Replicable best practice national and European measures – D2.3
Criteria to identify best practices for initiatives
Has the project outlined policy proposals for a better protection of vulnerable consumers & against energy poverty?
Has the project involved consumers' engaging strategies?
Has the project stimulated energy saving behavioural change?
Has the project provided services for (vulnerable) consumers / fuel poor?
Has the project established networking? Has the project provided training for
energy information and advising? Has the project researched vulnerable
consumers and energy poverty?
Analysis of identified measures
23
European market survey on vulnerable consumers needs, expectations and interests – D2.4
Stakeholders interview (3 - 5 per country representing various
EP related sectors) to define and validate survey
questionnaire
Online survey Collection of filled in questionnaires
Analysis of data collected with common methodology
What are the main gaps and issues surrounding energy poverty and vulnerable
citizens? How can ASSIST align with the policies and
activities of stakeholders? What would stakeholders like to see from
ASSIST?
24
HEA training results – WP3
HEA Profile
Training guidelines
Training report
25
HEA profile. Qualification scheme – D3.1
1. Common European profile – roles and working contexts and knowledge / skills / competencies
2. National profiles with focus according to national context
Institutional organisations
Energy organisations
Social organisations
26
ASSIST training course – D3.1
Area Modules Time (hours) Methodologies Notes
M1 ASSIST HEA Introductive Module 2-4
Ene
rgy
beha
viou
r an
alys
is M2 Basic Knowledge on Energy Sector 6-12
M3 Basic Knowledge on Social System and Vulnerability 6-12
Ener
gy c
heck
-up
& s
uppo
rt
M4 Security & Privacy Elements 2-4
M5 Energy Behaviour check-up 2-4
M6 Energy Consumption Behaviour 1-3
M7 Assist Actions 7-14
Com
mun
icat
ion
and
Advi
se to
Con
sum
ers
M8 Communicating Energy 4-6
M9 Relational Competences 6-8
M10 Planning and realizing communication initiatives and resources 2-4
27
HEA training guidelines – D3.2
National guidelines detailing country-based training: • Training factsheet • HEA profile (role and working
contexts): HEA activities and knowledge, skills and competences
• HEA training strategies, plan and choices implemented
• Training potential participants • Training promotion strategies, plan
and actions
1. Participants’ motivations -expectations / assessment
• Registration from profiling participants
• Satisfaction questionnaire at module completion and at the overall program completion
2. Participants’ learning assessment
• Ex ante competences evaluation to allow personalised fruition
• Learning test at unit and module completion
• Learning test at the program completion
3. Participants’ impact assessment
• Action KPIs
28
HEA training report – D3.3
HEA
ASSIST partners
(AISFOR / RSE / AU) Social
sector institutions
Energy sector
institutions
Health and welfare sector
institutions
Social housing
Social actors
(charities, association, volunteers,
etc.)
Energy market actors
Smart home tools
market actors
House owners / tenants
associations
Non profit associations
Banks / ESCOs
• Common executive summary in English on the overall training activities and main results;
• Resource Plan for the Most Vulnerable Consumers (UK) on how to approach and engage most vulnerable consumers to provide peer-to-peer advice on energy poverty
• 6 national training reports in national language with more country specific details
29
HEA training report – D3.3 Registered
HEAs Type of operators
empowered Trained HEAs
Country context to support consumers - focus on EP
ASSIST training course(s) according to HEA profile(s)
IT* 233 All (social operators, technicians, volunteers, etc.)
122 Different type of operators but no specific figure to support energy poverty
1 ASSIST training course - including all modules to fully empower HEA The course was delivered in 5 editions (3 addressing professionals + 2 addressing high school students)
ES 159 1) Home care services-social services
2) Telecare service-social services
3) Energy cooperatives front-office
138 Different type of operators (i.e. social services) Some municipalities have specific services to tackle energy poverty
1 ASSIST training course - including all modules to fully empower complete HEA The course was delivered in 5 editions
UK 31 Money advisors, charities supporting VCs and energy advisors
23 Charity services to support consumers such as Warn & Well
1 ASSIST training course - including all the course modules (defined in D3.3) to fully empower complete HEA
PL 193 Social and municipality workers, Professional Energy Advisors, Consumer Associations.
152 Municipality and city workers, consumer organizations and in specific issues: operators (dedicated only for consumers with problems in their services).
1 ASSIST training course, made in different way: online and in person or only online. Depending on profile of group of participants trainings focused on different areas (social or energy issues).
BE** 153 All (social operators, technicians, volunteers, advisors, etc.)
77 Vulnerable Consumers are already supported by the energy cutters, but these are not volunteers.
1 ASSIST training course - including all modules to fully empower HEA *Except for the editions that support the implementation of the soft/ engagement activities (2 modules for the energy cutters, 1 module for the meter readers and a workshop for employees of Public Centers for Social Welfare (OCMWs))
FI 213 All (social, technical, students, peer advisors,
etc.)
46 Different types of operators, such as the network of regional energy advisors but there is no specific figure to support energy poverty
1 ASSIST training course in Moodle platform. Additional 6 – to energy advisory professionals, youth counselling professionals (social workers), house renovation advisors, village assistants, energy students and vulnerable consumers.
30
Training vulnerable consumers as HEA for peer-to-peer advice – D3.3
• Need to build a target-specific training course – characterised by limited duration and therefore limited topics to be covered and delivered only (or mainly) in presence due to scarce ICT basic knowledge and availability of the target;
• Need to constantly and strongly tutor and mentor the target for the theoretical training and on-the-job training; • More direct and easy communication and engagement to vulnerable consumers on a peer-to-peer basis; • Need to follow and mentor the action delivery of vulnerable HEAs.
Country strategy to engage vulnerable consumers No. of vulnerable consumers Registered HEAs
Italy ASSIST training was open to all targets – no specific activities were developed to address and train vulnerable consumers (except for the high school and university students
• 3 unemployed • 26 university students • More than 1000 high school students
Spain 54% of Home Care professionals present at least one energy vulnerability factors: • Failing to maintain the appropriate comfort temperature at home • Have delays in bill payments
77 67
UK SWEA’s partner network. A recruitment poster was designed which emphasised both the quality of the internationally recognised qualification and how useful the training will be for their work in the community.
20 charity/social work 2 money advisors 9 energy professional
12 charity/social work 2 Money advisors 9 energy professional
Poland ASSIST course was dedicated to everyone with no exceptions, however nobody was vulnerable consumer. In Poland there is still no definition of vulnerable consumers and any HEA recognize himself as vulnerable.
0 0
Belgium ASSIST training was open to all targets – no additional activities were developed to address vulnerable consumers. We closely collaborated with the existing network of Energy cutters that already targets vulnerable consumers specifically (social employment).
• 2 unemployed • 1 deaf • 150 energy cutters
• 0 unemployed • 1 deaf • 150 energy cutters
Finland ASSIST training was open to all and there were no specific activities to promote the offer especially for vulnerable consumers. One of ASSIST engagement actions (WP5), energy cafés, were used to promote HEA training for vulnerable consumers. Some of the participating VCs were interested and became peer advisors. .
2 Peer advisors 24 university students
0 15 university students
SWOT - HEA online training
Strength • Harmonised training course to empower
competencies on for operators from all sectors
• Reach a high number of participants covering the full national geographical coverage
• Update and increase contents accessible to participants of previous editions
Weakness • Extra time needed to attend training sessions
with possible time conflicts with other HEAs commitments
Opportunity • Increased connection with voluntary sector
organisations creating more cross referals • Physical meetings between HEAs and more
networking with other Voluntary Sector organizations
Threat • Detailed reporting on results could be felt as
a burden
SWOT - HEA small group training
Strength • Face-to-face training to respond to
individuals learning needs and interest • The training has a much more personal
approach and responds to real life situations e.g. the HEAs own homes
• The trainer can demonstrate technology such as energy and appliance monitors
Weakness • Duration of training course and too
theoretical • Low interaction and practical sessions with
students, very important for some lessons such as those on communication
• Requires technical capacities above the ICT basic skills
Opportunity • Increased awareness and empowerment of
energy poverty related topics for operators • Can be followed according to personal time
needs and constraints and geographical location
Threat • Define the course structure and contents -
the right mix of sectorial information and the right duration not to be too technical nor too superficial
• Competencies and skills acquired not sufficient to provide advice and assist energy poor consumers on the field
33
HEA training lessons learnt
1. Special trainings for intermediaries are highly needed as they empower actors in energy poverty - real knowledge and competence gap related to tackling energy poverty on behalf of all the various operators supporting consumers.
2. Energy advising, especially for vulnerable consumers, should be part of the workplace professional engagement with careful assessment of the workload. Otherwise there is high interest in the training for personal reasons but difficulties to put into practice skills learnt dues to possible conflicts with other commitments and engagements.
3. Balancing the training curriculum between technical and social modules. It is challenging to tailor lessons according to the different skills and activities of the HEA – “too technical for some, too sectorial for others”. The right mix in the course structure and contents should provide competencies and skills sufficient to advise and assist energy poor consumers on the field.
4. To provide quality training, lessons need to be updated regularly taking into account changes in European and National directives and with National energy market.
5. When an e-learning platform is used for the training the choice of the online platform needs to be carefully adjusted to participants’ skills.
6. Practical aspects of the training: “It has been a good practice to evaluate HEAs through an energy intervention in their own households: energy bills analysis, energy audits, and recommendations.”
7. Specialized training will be more successful if there is an increased public awareness on energy poverty nearly through all societal sectors and actors.
34
HEA network results – WP4
HEA network guidelines
ICT platform for the HEA network
Manual for the ICT platform
Monitoring system of the HEA network, impact on energy consumptions and level of comfort
Training follow up report
Report on HEA networking activity and saved energy and increased comfort level
HEA Network Guideline - D4.1
HEA informs
5.000 consumers 1 HEA to 'n'
consumers in a general manner
Increased level of comfort
HEA supports
2.000 consumers 1 HEA to 1
consumer in a personalised but
general information
Energy saving 2% / increased level
of comfort
HEA action
750 consumers 1 HEA to 1
consumer with personalised and
customised solutions
Energy saving 7% / increased level
of comfort
Description of National / European HEA networks: description of HEAs activity, tools, resources and internal rules
Dissemination KPI’sHighly satisfactory Current Monthly progress Status
Satisfactory, but improvements needed Developed a HEA communication strategy per country 5 LOWLY PROGRESSING OGRESS;"BEHINDNot satisfactory Translated information available in all 6 languages 5 LOWLY PROGRESSINGNPROGRESS
Website available in all 6 languages 5 LOWLY PROGRESSINGNPROGRESS
Project KPI’s National HEA KPI’sCurrent Monthly progress Status 0 0 Status
Addressed at least 30.000 vulnerable consumers (th 117903 DONE DONE Subscribed at least 900 people to the training courses 703 LOWLY PROGRESSINNPROGRESSAddressed at least 12.000 vulnerable consumers thr 56674 DONE DONE Trained at least 381 HEA (75 per country, except UK) 469 DONE NPROGRESSNumber of vulnerable consumers addressed by the 3303 SLOWLY PROGRESSING INPROGRESS Number of active HEA (carrying out soft or ASSIST action) 133 LOWLY PROGRESSIN BEHINDNumber of ex-ante questionnaire collected 1350 SLOWLY PROGRESSING INPROGRESS Organization of national HEA / consumers conferences (2 think ta 41 LOWLY PROGRESSINNPROGRESSNumber of ex-post questionnaire collected 120 SLOWLY PROGRESSING INPROGRESS Number of addressed policies (2 statements) 1 LOWLY PROGRESSIN BEHINDReduced consumption by 7% for 750 consumers pe 5 SLOWLY PROGRESSING BEHIND Number of key stakeholders reached (20 per country) 220 DONE DONEReduced consumption by 2% for 2.000 consumers 0 NO PROGRESS 0
KPI Dashboard
ICT platform for HEAs network - D4.2
Internal network communication
tools
•Facebook •Notifications & messages
•Email •Announcement •Forum •Q&A •Calendar
External network communication
tools
•Facebook •Email (Quickmail)
Monitoring mechanisms
•Survey forms •Moodle statistics
Comparative analysis on the functionalities and characteristics of various ICT platforms (moodle, SAKAI, ILIAS)
ICT network platform
ICT training platform
Manual for the ICT platform - D4.3
Structure, contents and functionalities of the HEA working area
HEA Network monitoring mechanism for saved energy and increased comfort level - D4.4
Impact of the ASSIST model to be calculated on: •Reduction of energy consumption
•Increase in comfort level •Reduction of the energy expenses
•Reduction of the vulnerability (Vulnerability Empowerment Factor)
HEAs – what was their professional and personal gain from the training - networking
Steering Committee – what can be the national gain of the
HEA training and network
Vulnerable consumers – what is their gain from the
HEAs
Qualitative insight on the work of the
HEAs and on future follow-
up
HEA training follow-up report - D4.5
HEA training follow-up report - D4.5
Country HEA survey responders
Active HEAs in country
Number of survey
requests sent
Response rate (only
active HEAs)
Response rate (all)
Belgium 55 44 76 61% 72%
Finland 44 68 203 48% 22%
Italy 33 22 132 82% 25%
Poland 19 53 185 32% 10%
Spain 29 89 138 33% 21%
UK 11 6 31 100% 35%
TOTAL 191 282 765 45% 25%
• Evaluation of the impact of ASSIST training, and its demonstrated benefits and future potential for all HEAs (trained, active or non-active)
• Survey for all HEAs on how they perceived the importance of training in their professional and personal lives
• Insights by national steering committees and feedback from VCs
Table 1. Number of HEA survey responders and response rates
Figure 8. Did ASSIST training support you to advance professionally in some manner? (N=150)
[NOMBRE DE
CATEGORÍA]; [VALOR]
Other reason;
3%
The topic interests me; 29%
I could be helping
vulnerable consumers;
23%
Professional motivation;
32%
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
Yes No I don't know
Figure 4. Motivation of HEAs to participate training (N=176)
Report on HEA network activity, saved energy and increased comfort level - D4.6 & D4.7
• HEA advisory actions targeted to decrease energy consumption, reduce energy costs, and to increase comfort levels in the homes of vulnerable consumers.
• These deliverables describe how different HEA activities were monitored and evaluated in each country.
• D4.7 presents and assesses how consumer data was collected by HEAs using a common European data collection methodology (ex-ante and ex-post surveys and energy saving calculation tool).
• Profile of vulnerable energy consumers surveyed here by ASSIST HEAs is also offered.
SWOT - HEA online training
Strength • Strategic partnerships approach with identified trusted
organizations and associations to attract and involve new HEA to ensure longer-lasting impact of results.
• Strong ethical or professional motif - quality advisory services and targeted, personal interactions.
• Possibility to give compensation e.g. offer lunches or gift cards for the HEAs and other rewards for their voluntary work.
Weakness • Establishing a community without compensation or
institution makes long-term prospective difficult. • HEAs are primarily considered as volunteers and
cannot be expected high workload such as reporting of activities. Leading voluntary work requires special skills.
Opportunity • The idea of a HEAs network with peer-support idea is
powerful. • Some markets may be underserved in terms of energy
advisory work which provides several opportunities for new businesses.
• Positive press media coverage. • Changes in general customer attitudes or in legislation
that would boost HEAs activities
Threat • Minimum long-term impact due to the time-bound
project nature. • Finding appropriate communication tools for keeping
up the network. • Changes in attitudes or in legislation that would hinder
HEAs activities • Negative press or media coverage against the local
partner organization • Emerging competitor from other HEAs network or
provider • Sudden and unpreceded popularity of the pursued
HEAs activities and no resources to scale up
43
HEA network lessons learnt
1. When setting up a virtual network the choice of the ICT platform is very important and should be user friendly and based on the already available skills of participants
2. To support the network a very committed coordinator is needed as it is quite time consuming - updating materials, keeping the interest of HEAs high on tackling energy poverty, etc.
3. Difficulties to involve people to actively participate in the network - HEAs interested in exchange of information and experience from other HEAs but networking HEAs requires a large effort.
4. It is challenging to find the most appropriate ways of involving different kinds of potential groups of HEAs. HEAs were not comfortable using the HEA forum and interacting between different groups
5. Challenging was to engage with operators from some sectors, such as from energy companies. Social workers are rather interested but feel that they require a lot of encouragement as “energy” appears very technical and difficult for them. There is a strong gap between “energy sector” and “social sector”.
6. HEAs don’t feel like they are part of a community. There is a need for networking building events, periodic face to face meetings in order to share doubts, specific cases, answer questions, top up their resources (e.g. energy saving leaflets and gadgets), etc. In countries where such meetings were available, for example UK and Spain, HEAs appreciated these sessions very much.
44
ASSIST action results – WP5
Market segmentation
ASSIST actions plans
ASSIST action National reports
Report on ASSIST actions
45
Energy poverty segmentation – D5.1
INSUFFICIENT or SCARCE economic resources - the only constraint is related to the economic resources of the family, related however to their possibility to pay
energy bills: either don’t have enough money to satisfy their basic needs (including energy) or they have enough to satisfy their basic needs (including
energy) but nothing to address unforeseen expenses.
8 EP electric appliances variables
10 EP building variables
9 EP socio-demographic
variables
46
ASSIST Action Plan – D5.2
7% energy savings
ASSIST Activities
Soft/engagement activities Actions Synergies
@750 consumers
for each country
@2,000 consumers
for each country
2% energy savings
2% energy savings
47
ASSIST National Action Reports – D5.3
Advice at home supplies shop
Energy café (consumers association, energy provider)
Home visits and dedicated consultancy by social/health
workers
Help desks counselling for vulnerable consumers at consumers association
premises
Help desks for Vulnerable Consumers through Charity
organizations
Distribution of material and provision of information to
targeted consumers Distribution of material to targeted consumers
Consultancy on financial support
General education activities (social workers)
Soft/engagement activities Actions Synergies
2% 7% 2%
48
ASSIST Action Reports – D5.4 & D5.5
MONITORING MECHANISM (from D4.4)
• ASSIST Energy Savings Indicator (ESI): it assesses the actual energy saved by the engaged vulnerable consumers, their increased comfort inside their homes and, more in general, the quality of their lives;
• Vulnerability Empowerment Factor (VEF): it assesses consumers’ confidence in dealing with energy related issues inside their dwellings;
• Energy savings: it represents the amount of energy saved thanks to the ASSIST actions, both in kWh and in percentage (%).
49
ASSIST Action Reports – D5.4 & D5.5
Country
No of HEAs
delivering ASSIST
activities
No of consumers reached with ASSIST soft / engagement
activities
No of consumers engaged with
ASSIST actions ESI VEF
Belgium 44 102,300 714 3.9% 0.9 Finland 68 ~300,000 1,130 1.7% 0.3 Italy 23 8,428 618 5.5% 0.4 Poland 53 2,330 1,875 4.4% N.A. Spain 93 5,484 755 4.5% 3.9 United Kingdom 23 4,792 150 5.1% 1.5
50
ASSIST Action Reports – D5.4 & D5.5
Country Energy savings
[kWh] Energy savings
[%] Belgium 99,060 7% Finland N.A. 3.9% Italy 7,799 5% Poland 130,207 4,4% Spain 61.231 4.5% United Kingdom 42.200 7%
SWOT - HEA action
Strength • Actions are carried out by actors who are strongly
rooted in the local context and thus are able to identify the consumer who are more in needs to receive support and the most suitable way to engage them by getting directly in contact with consumers.
Weakness • A long time might be required to carry out the planned
actions due to difficulties in the interaction with vulnerable families, beyond the project three-years duration.
Opportunity • The planned ASSIST actions allow the involvement of
people who otherwise would have never been engaged in such activities devoted to fight energy poverty.
Threat • Some people who could not be involved in the actions,
might came to know about them at a later stage and thus complain about the fact that they have not been involved, thus giving a negative publicity of ASSIST.
• On the other hand, some consumers might give up after the first activities.
52
HEA action lessons learnt
1. Create a strong partnership with already established networks/associations in the local context and involve them since the beginning of the project;
2. Allow more time to HEAs for the collection of both the ex-ante and the ex-post questionnaire to face the difficulties of interacting with vulnerable consumers;
3. Increase the time between the compilation of the ex-ante questionnaire and the ex-post one, in order to monitor a longer period;
4. A detailed plan on which information to send to consumers and how to organize them should be defined well in advance;
5. Consumers should be divided into target groups and tailor made information should be provided to each of them.
53
Consumer communication results – WP6
Videos / tutorials
Factsheets and Domestic energy efficient factsheets folder
Database of complaints / questions
Virtual community of consumers
55
ASSIST factsheets and domestic energy efficient factsheets folder – D6.2
• Nice looking folder • 10 charts – factsheets on energy,
same topics across 6 countries • Gadgets for consumers • Contact details to our HEA
Informative folder
Energy bill: what do we actually pay for?
How to reduce energy
consumption?
What do you know about
energy labels?
Meet the HEAs
How to calculate how much
energy you use at home?
56
ASSIST Database of complaints / questions – D6.3 The database of consumer complains & questions and solutions proposed by Domestic Advisors (HEAs):
• 2700 unique records
• One common method of complains classification
• Multichannel collection • HEAs • Helpline • Audit
questionnaires • Evaluation by
specific categories and topics
• Solution scheme
Solution
1. Electric warm up
2. Thermostat installation
3. Heat source replacement
4. Water heating replacement
5. Walls insulation
6. Windows replacement
7. Ceiling insulation
8. Floor insulation
9. Fridge replacement
10. Light sources replacement
11. Habits and behaviour change
12. Renewable energy source installation
13. Complete building thermal upgrade
14. Contact supplier/contact ADR
15. Contact supplier/contact ADR/Help for bonus
16. Help in preparing documents-contacting supplier
17. Contact supplier for instalments/help using comparison websites
18. Contact supplier/contact ADR
19. Loft insulation
Problem
1. Expensive heat source
2. Old uneffective heat source
3. Insufficient building insulation
4. Old uneffective domestic appliances
5. Old uneffective light sources
6. Ineffective behaviours
7. Billing (double billing, erroneous charges, etc.)
8. Arrears in paying bills - disconnection
9. Access to bonus/financial measures/protected tariff
10. Excessive billing
11. Contracts issues (right of withdrawal, change names)
12. Uneffective behaviours
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ASSIST Virtual community of consumers – D6.4
Facebook based virtual community:
Content placed:
• A dedicated FB page in each country
• Coordinated campaining May – November 2019
• 10 films • 10 factsheets • Interesting hints
and lifehags • HEA network
promotion with advising offer
Some of them contacted our HEAs and helpdesk, asking for individual advice
12 000 liked, commented or shared
Over 325 000 consumers reached
Strength • Strategic partnerships approach with identified trusted
organizations and associations to attract and involve new HEA to ensure longer-lasting impact of results.
• Strong ethical or professional motif - quality advisory services and targeted, personal interactions.
• Possibility to give compensation e.g. offer lunches or gift cards for the HEAs and other rewards for their voluntary work
Weakness • Establishing a community without compensation or
institution makes long-term prospective difficult. • HEAs are primarily considered as volunteers and cannot be
expected high workload such as reporting of activities. Leading voluntary work requires special skills.
Opportunity • The idea of a HEAs network with peer-support idea is
powerful. • Some markets may be underserved in terms of energy
advisory work which provides several opportunities for new businesses.
• Positive press media coverage. • Changes in general customer attitudes or in legislation that
would boost HEAs activities
Threat • Minimum long-term impact due to the time-bound project
nature. • Finding appropriate communication tools for keeping up
the network. • Changes in attitudes or in legislation that would hinder
HEAs activities • Negative press or media coverage against the local
partner organization • Emerging competitor from other HEAs network or provider • Sudden and unpreceded popularity of the pursued HEAs
activities and no resources to scale up
SWOT - Communication to vulnerable consumers
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Communication to vulnerable consumers lessons learnt
1. HEA’s actions must be physical and direct. It is difficult to enrol vulnerable consumers in an ICT platform as they prefer personal contacts through face to face meetings or direct e-mails to them rather than virtual activities. It is difficult to gain the trust of vulnerable consumers without a proper and trusted middleman;
2. Proper communication channels need to be activated and continuously updated to properly reach consumers on energy issues. Proper tailor-made materials are extremely important (videos are a good mean)
3. It is possible to create a communication message based on European background but targeting individual consumers the message and the communication resources should be also country specific. Leaflets with a more visual format and which address the specific local issues are necessary.
4. Managing a help-desk is a difficult task for a big supplier, let alone for partners of a project.
5. Communication with vulnerable consumers should include specific financial savings, not only savings in CO2 emissions or KWh consumption. Improving living conditions and thermal comfort is just as important as saving energy.
6. In countries where there are already established networks and/or helpdesk that are trusted it is better to use them to reach consumers instead to setup short-term new ones.
7. It appears not easy to gather feedback to the problem database and special efforts are needed to analyse why this is so.
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Policy Orientation results – WP7
6 National steering committee – 3 meetings
1 European steering committee – 3 meetings
3 Market Actors’ Dialogue (MAD)
Energy Poverty Framework Paper
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National and European Steering Committees – D7.1
6 National and 1 European Vulnerable Consumers Steering Committee (VCSC) –
ensure ASSIST activities are
Complementary to other national
initiatives with the same objective
Developed with the support of the main national and
European key actors
Disseminated to all national
stakeholders and key actors and able to trigger
political follow-up process
The 3 meetings took place:
• 1st meeting: October 2017 – March 2018 • 2nd meeting: March 2019 – July 2019 • 3rd meeting: January 2020 – April 2020
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Steering Committees meetings and MAD workshops report – D7.2 & D7.3
This document brings together the reports of the first round of the National VCSC meetings and Market Actors’ Dialogue workshop organised in Belgium, Finland, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom. It also includes the report of the first EU VCSC meeting.
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Vulnerable consumers Protection Framework Paper – D7.4 & D7.5
The “Vulnerable Consumers Protection Framework Paper” is a report to illustrate political pathways to promote vulnerable consumers’ protection in the energy market.
The "Vulnerable Consumer Protection Framework Paper“ addresses two main questions:
✓ How to promote an appropriate working mechanism for the fight against energy poverty and energy vulnerability at European and
national level?
✓ How to improve the political decision making process in order to generate effective consumer protection measures to cope with
energy poverty and opportunities to address it?
Joint activities of the partners
Discussion during the National and European
VCSC meetings and Market Actors’ Dialogue workshop
(including review, assessments and policy
recommendations)
Different activities undertaken by ASSIST project: research, training, networking and in-
field actions
SWOT – Policy Orientation
Strength • Accumulated experience in formulating evidence based
policy proposals especially by some stakeholders and actors;
• Similar policy proposals coming from very different national contexts;
• A slow but gradual transition to focusing on energy poverty alleviation by different actors;
• Growing ability to reach consensus on energy poverty issues.
Weakness • Policies’ inconsistencies in ref. with different fields (ecology,
energy market, energy efficiency, energy poverty alleviation), different levels (EU, national and local) and different energy poverty drivers (incomes, prices, quality of housing & factors behind them);
• Difficulties and lack of mechanisms to implement bottom up policy proposals resulting in neglect of accumulated and shared policy proposals;
• Difficulties in approaching vulnerable consumers and lack of mechanisms to meaningfully engage them.
Opportunity • Gradually energy poverty and energy vulnerable consumers
are becoming more important issues at EU and Member States levels;
• A broad consensus is emerging on necessary on energy poverty alleviation;
• If more focused and better structured actions are undertaken on divergent views consensus could be also reached on more and specific issues;
• Low but increasing policy attention to the energy policy field
Threat • Unbalanced approach to energy poverty alleviation as
political dialogue could be dominated by powerful economic interests at the expense of social actors and dimensions;
• Lack of independent social impact assessments of different policies that impact on energy poverty;
• Lack of political will to clearly identify the problems and find & implement adequate solutions.
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Policy Orientation lessons learnt 1. While there is progress in available measures and initiatives in the field of energy poverty, the shared opinion is that the measures are insufficient, not enough efficient, hesitant and unsustainable as they do not address the root causes of energy poverty/vulnerability;
2. When welfare policies are effective in guaranteeing adequate living conditions, energy poverty and consumers’ vulnerability are minimized;
3. There is need of much clearer identification of energy poverty and vulnerable consumers and more quality evaluations, including participatory action research, to lead to improved agenda setting in the energy poverty field. This concerns also careful assessments of the sequence of policy steps in different policy fields;
4. Decision making processes in the field of energy poverty need improvements, incl. by involving more actors & vulnerable consumers;
5. Stakeholders and actors of similar kind (for example social or technical) from different EU member-states share more agreements and joint visions than different actors from the same EU member- state. This questions the often overstated dependency on national contexts at the expense of higher dependence on socio-economic positions of stakeholders and actors;
6. Reaching consensus on quite contradictory views is possible if better structured, more focused and more sustained discussions take place;
7. Promoting bottom up approach needs clear mechanisms for meaningful participation and special efforts, including active work by intermediaries;
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Communication and Dissemination – WP8
Objectives and strategy
Channels
Impacts
Virtual community of consumers
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C&D objectives and strategy – WP8
Design
• Definition of goals. • Identification of
stakeholder groups, special needs and characteristics.
• Proposal of personalised communication approach.
Act
• Development of C&D actions as designed.
• Uploading of deliverables on the website and HEA network communication platform, social networks, etc.
Review
• Collection, summarizing, review of dissemination project outcomes. Evaluation.
• Give visibility to the project and its major results. • To create networks and promote the participation of stakeholders in the project activities.
Objectives
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C&D project main public channels and identity – WP8
Logo
YouTube
Web in 6 languages
Over 85,570 visits since
October 2017
130 followers
258 followers
2.357 total views
Communication and Dissemination – WP8
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SWOT – Communication and dissemination
Strength • Capacity to rapidly adapt to a changing and complex
context, maintaining previously stablished strategic alliances.
• Ability to prepare attractive, contrasted, up-to-date contents effectively addressed to each strategic audience in their language.
Weakness • Difficulties in the management of some tasks in a
decentralized way. Some of the communication tasks required more technical accompaniment for its execution by some partners.
• Difficulties in approaching vulnerable consumers and lack of mechanisms to meaningfully engage them trough the foreseen communication channels.
Opportunity • Energy poverty and energy vulnerable users are becoming
more important issues beyond negative news. • Organisations and institutions working in social issues are
great collaborators to spread news about the project and reach both vulnerable users and key policy actors.
• World COVID-19 related situation offers a great canvas to draw the big and local picture of energy poverty policies in Europe.
Threat • The fluidity of the process has been affected by events
such as the changes in some of the partner’s staff, or some technical difficulties.
• Limited access of vulnerable users to Internet or social network contents, and uneven knowledge of internet tools among users from different countries.
• COVID-19 context affected the execution of some on-site events and required an extra effort to redefine agendas and contents, engage users, stakeholders and audiences.
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Communication and dissemination lessons learnt
1. Storytelling is a powerful tool to approach and more strongly engage key audiences. Communication and dissemination actions are more effective if involved actors are able to emotionally connect with them.
2. Person-to-person communication is a strong communication tool that requires a consensual speech about the main messages in the early stages of the project.
3. Proper communication channels need to be activated and continuously updated to properly reach audiences. Tailored communication materials offer a good support in this sense.
4. Local media are natural collaborators to reach vulnerable consumers with non or limited access to internet or social networks. Alliances work better when stablished at the beginning of the action.
5. It is difficult for partners to keep the updating dynamics of the different communication channels. A “less is more” policy is in some cases a more effective way to gain impact and engage partners in communication activities.
6. There should be a well defined role for corporative communication channels of partners to avoid duplicated efforts or underrepresentation of the project’s channels.
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This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 754051
Thank you! www.assist2gether.com
@assist2gether
#ASSIST2gether
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