Energy poverty is a multifaceted challenge in which income, energy prices, the energy efficiency of buildings, and geographic and contextual factors interact, resulting in a household’s inability to meet its energy needs—particularly for lighting, cooling, or heating its living space. Although there is agreement that low income, high prices, and low energy efficiency are the main causes of energy poverty, a broader examination of the phenomenon shows that, in the current European context, there is an urgent need to address the poor quality of the building stock, dependence on fossil fuels and so-called lock-in effects, as well as systemic and structural inequalities, in order to provide sustainable and long-term solutions to energy poverty. In this regard, and in line with current EU objectives, it is essential to incorporate a social (and gender-specific) dimension into the fight against energy poverty.
The GENDER4POWER project focuses on combating energy poverty through three key areas:
- Access,
- Affordability and
- Energy efficiency.
Areas of Action
- Participatory Financing and Engagement Strategies
Models are being developed in collaboration with vulnerable groups that can be scaled up at the national and European levels. These include policy recommendations and best-practice guidelines. - Analysis of Energy Communities
Existing and potential financing approaches are evaluated in terms of their gender and social equity. Success factors and barriers are identified and documented. - Direct Involvement of Those Affected
Six demonstration projects across Europe facilitate direct dialogue with people affected by energy poverty. This enables the development of tailored, community-based solutions. - Capacity Building for Local Stakeholders
Energy consultants, social workers, government agencies, energy providers, and civil society organizations are being trained in decentralized renewable energy, small-scale efficiency and behavioral measures, and the planning and implementation of renovations. - Information and Awareness-Raising Initiatives
Information campaigns are designed to be timely and tailored to specific target groups in order to raise awareness of energy poverty, its gender-specific impacts, and options for collective action.
Pilot sites in six countries take these aspects into account when testing solutions related to the production and distribution of renewable energy, as well as building renovation. Renewable energy, particularly through community-led initiatives, has the potential to reduce energy poverty by improving access, affordability, and decentralization, while also providing environmental and health benefits. Similarly, building renovations—on both a small and large scale—are crucial for combating energy poverty, as they address issues such as inadequate insulation and outdated heating and cooling systems. Citizen-led initiatives, such as energy communities, can actively integrate energy-efficient renovations into their activities and collaborate with local governments to develop initiatives that consistently take into account the needs and preferences of community members.
Austria | Schweizer Haus Hadersdorf (SHH) (Vienna):
B-NK will coordinate the pilot site at Schweizer Haus Hadersdorf (SHH), a nonprofit inpatient and outpatient treatment facility for substance use disorders in Vienna. The SHH aims to support people struggling with addiction on their journey toward a stable, self-determined life through short- to medium-term therapies, medical and psychiatric treatments, and social work support. Thanks to its proximity to the city of Vienna and easy accessibility, clients remain integrated into the community; visits and outings foster contact with family and friends.
The SHH’s target group is often at risk of energy poverty, as many of its clients come from socioeconomicly disadvantaged backgrounds and have difficulty affording adequate housing. Furthermore, this group is among the hardest to reach.
A decentralized branch of the SHH, the “Gesundheitsgreisslerei” facility, is an outpatient treatment center for substance use disorders that is run by women and specifically supports women who struggle with alcohol or illegal substance use. GENDER4POWER’s initiatives will focus on this facility.
Objectives:
- Establishment of a social and solidarity-based energy community on the SHH grounds with the goal of actively involving and integrating vulnerable user groups (SHH patients), based on the Austrian Renewable Energy Expansion Act of 2021.
- Implementation of gender-sensitive capacity-building measures that address the cross-cutting issues of energy conservation counseling and social support services (energy counselors, social workers, health care professionals, and their stakeholders).
Areas of Focus:
- Empowering and Engaging Vulnerable Groups: Promoting Energy Literacy and Awareness.
- Establishing a social energy community based on solidarity.
More about the program: https://cinea.ec.europa.eu/programmes/life_en
