The Energy Poverty Advisory Hub

The Energy Poverty Advisory Hub (EPAH) is the European Union’s main initiative to eradicate energy poverty. It is the successor of the EU Energy Poverty Observatory (EPOV) project, which ran between 2016 and 2020. The EPOV project has been instrumental in gathering data, producing and sharing knowledge, and developing recommendations to address energy poverty across the EU. In particular, the EPOV has been relevant for setting up national energy poverty indicators to assess energy poverty at the Member States level, which are still in use.

The EPAH was launched by the European Commission in 2021, following a request made by the European Parliament. Aiming at eradicating energy poverty and accelerating the just energy transition of European local governments, the EPAH is meant as a space for collaboration and exchange between local and regional authorities. The EPAH continues the core functions of the EPOV, providing data and resources, with a new focus on local action.

The EPAH acts on three levels:

• Engaging local authorities and civil society organisations (city, municipal and regional governments, NGOs and other relevant organisations) across Europe on energy poverty mitigation and understanding of the social aspects related to it. To this end, the EPAH is collecting, analysing and disseminating inspirational local cases and research results.
• Creating a collaborative network of stakeholders interested in taking actions against energy poverty in Europe and engaging them in a continuous dialogue and exchange through the EPAH platform, through national and international events and workshops and through digital training opportunities.
• Motivating stakeholders to act against energy poverty at the local level by establishing a support system for local authorities and civil society organisations.

The EPAH offers online guidance and knowledge products for diagnosing, measuring and planning actions to tackle energy poverty at the local level from national and EU perspectives. Such resources include:

• publications
• an interactive databasethat allows stakeholders to discover local and international projects and measures addressing energy poverty
• coursesto increase knowledge on energy poverty and mitigation actions
• calls for technical assistanceto directly assist local governments to take actions on energy poverty.

Together with the Covenant of Mayors, the EPAH also developed a reporting mechanism that cities can use to track the progress in eradicating energy poverty. As the EPAH primarily focuses on the local level, a set of local energy poverty indicators has been developed in collaboration with the Covenant of Mayors community of cities for tracking energy poverty at the local level. These indicators are updated on a regular basis, whenever new data are available.

The EPAH website offers a wealth of information on energy poverty, including:

• National and local energy poverty indicators
• Best practices and case studies for tackling energy poverty
• Tools and resources for local authorities
• Information on EU funding opportunities for energy poverty initiatives

Through its resources and focus on local action, the EPAH contributes to address social inclusion in energy via several manners several:

• Identifying vulnerable groups: The data and analysis provided by the EPAH help identify populations most susceptible to energy poverty, including low-income households, single-parent families, elderly people, and those living in poorly insulated homes. By pinpointing these vulnerable groups, local authorities can tailor their energy poverty eradication efforts to optimise social inclusion.
• Promoting inclusive local solutions: As it emphasizes the importance of local action in addressing energy poverty, the EPAH offers resources and best practices that encourage local authorities to design solutions that consider and respond to social inclusion needs. This could involve:
  • Targeted outreach: Developing programs and information campaigns specifically for vulnerable communities.
  • Financial assistance: Providing financial aid or subsidies for energy efficiency upgrades or clean energy solutions in low-income areas.
  • Community engagement: Involving vulnerable communities in the design and implementation of energy poverty solutions to ensure they address their specific needs.
• Sharing case studies of inclusive initiatives: The EPAH website showcases successful examples from around Europe where local authorities have implemented programs that address energy poverty while promoting social inclusion. This allows other regions to learn from these successful models and adapt them to their own contexts.
• Advocating for inclusive funding mechanisms: The EPAH informs local authorities about available EU funding opportunities that support energy poverty initiatives, including those targeting specific vulnerable demographics.

By providing these resources and promoting a local, socially inclusive approach, the EPAH helps ensure that the benefits of tackling energy poverty reach everyone in a community.