Struggling to pay energy bills is a deeply personal matter, which many households try to self-manage by reducing consumption, cutting other expenses, foregoing other necessities, or developing various coping mechanisms.
In turn, lifting people out of energy poverty often requires intervention by many different actors with diverse expertise.
When CEES Partners began implementing their pilot projects, it seemed logical to distinguish between efforts to ‘identify’ and ‘engage’, as actions on two distinct levels, possibly following a linear progression.
ECs would need to identify ‘who’ needed help before trying to connect with them. In turn, ECs making their first foray into tackling energy poverty might benefit substantially from identifying and engaging with organisations that already have links to households in vulnerable situations.
In fact, CEES Partners found that these activities overlap and intertwine, rarely in any linear way. For this reason, the CEES Energy Solidarity Toolkit presents all relevant content in a single chapter.
Cross-linking to implement energy solidarity
While the mechanisms by which ECs will identify and engage households in situations of energy vulnerability are likely to vary, it is often useful to start getting to know the broader context. What policies or practices currently lead to injustices for some groups? Who is most affected? How does lack of affordable energy contribute?
During this early stage, ECs may also start to consider the possibility of working with local collaborators that have shared or complementary aims. Potential collaborators typically include municipalities; housing associations; public social, health and care services; and third sector organisations (also known as civil society organisations or CSOs) working in the same geographic area or on the same social challenges.
A few basic tips can help ECs get started. More detailed descriptions for approaches with track records of successful implementation are found throughout the ‘Identify and Engage’ chapter of the Energy Solidarity Toolkit..
The idea of cross-linking with both households and local collaborators can be vital to developing a robust understanding of energy poverty in the local context and how it intersects with other vulnerabilities. In turn, it can facilitate the process of co-developing solutions that are effective for all parties – especially the households.
These first steps need to be undertaken in ways that are practical and manageable for ECs, households and local collaborators, based on information that the various parties can easily obtain or supply. Processes for identifying and engaging in all directions should be relatively simple and easy to understand. A key aim of this stage should be to clarify who will do what to quickly deliver initial benefits to households in vulnerable situations. what will be done and by whom.
