Mitigating Energy Poverty Through Innovative Solutions

Economic instability is driving up energy prices in European Union (EU) member states, including in Latvia, thereby increasing the risk of energy poverty. This phenomenon has a negative impact not only on the welfare and disposable income of the population, but also on public health. However, the EU's rapid energy transition and decarbonisation process offers an opportunity to reduce and eliminate energy poverty by providing environmentally friendly and cost-effective energy solutions that are available for energy production, transmission, distribution, storage, and consumption. This project aims at evaluating these transition solutions in order to reduce energy costs for consumers. To this end, experiences, good practices and support mechanisms from other countries will be compiled and evaluated from different perspectives in order to propose workable solutions to tackle energy poverty.

The solutions identified will be analysed and adapted to the Latvian energy sector, providing recommendations in the areas of technical, social, economic, environmental and legal organisation in order to reduce the level of energy poverty and prevent its increase in the country. 

Ultimately, this project aims to find sustainable solutions that not only reduce energy poverty, but also contribute to public health and well-being.

The target groups of the project are researchers, technology companies, local communities and members of the public, decision-makers and the energy sector.

Results

The results of the research will be presented in original scientific articles in the Web of Science database or in SCOPUS journals, as well as at international scientific conferences. Interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers and industry experts will be developed with the aim of developing recommendations for governance solutions in the healthcare sector. The results of the study will be used for the development of future research projects. The research will involve students who will develop and defend their master theses.

Project tasks

• Comprehensive assessment of electricity poverty: current status, future trends and legal frameworks at the national, and regional levels in the EU and Latvia,
• Comprehensive assessment of sustainable technical solutions to improve efficiency and cost-effectiveness,
• Assessment of financial support mechanisms for reducing electricity poverty and designing effective support schemes,
• Proposal development for an inclusive and fair transition to electricity,
• Promoting the re-use of effective solutions and developing policy recommendations.

Project implementers

Media

What Is Energy Poverty and How Does It Affect Health? An RSU Researcher Explains (in Latvian), LSM (6 Aug 2025)
The Baltic States’ Electricity Systems Operating in Island Mode; Frequency Tests Successfully Completed, LSM, Panorāma (in Latvian) (8 Febr 2025)
When Does Electricity Cost Nothing? Radio SWH programme Prāts izglābs pasauli (in Latvian) (28 Jan 2025)
What Will Happen to the Green Deal and Climate Neutrality in Latvia? Electricity and Heat Energy, LTV programme What’s Happening in Latvia? (in Latvian) (8 Nov 2024)
Information on Continuing Education Opportunities in the Energy Sector at Kandava Agricultural Technical School (in Latvian) (26 Nov 2024)
Saving Wisely, magazine Ir (in Latvian) (18 Apr 2024)
Europe Will Replace Natural Gas with Hydrogen (in Latvian), TvNet (7 Febr 2024)
Thousands of Households Left Without Electricity Due to a Sudden Thaw, LSM (in Latvian) (10 Jan 2024)

Project-related activities

Innovation and Future Energy, podcast (in Latvian) “Simply About Complex Energy Issues”, L. Zemite (29 May 2025)
Energy Poverty in Latvia: Bringing the Gap Towards Sustainability, RSU Research Week 2025, G. Valdmanis, L. Zemite, D. Zalostiba, D. Kronkalns (28 Mar 2025)
Educational seminar “District Heating Technologies” for AS “Rīgas Siltums” employees. Presentation of project results and discussion about current energy sector developments. (18 April 2024)
Analysis of Electricity Consumption Trends and Recommendations, 82nd International Scientific Conference of the University of Latvia (01 Mar 2024)
Assessing Energy Poverty in the European Union: Indicators, Challenges, and Policy Solutions, O. Slutins, L. Zemite, O. Bogdanova, D. Kronkalns, K. Palkova, Latvian Journal of Physics and Technical Sciences, Volume 62 (2025), Issue 1 (Febr 2025)
Energy Poverty Indicators and the Latvian Profile. L. Zemīte, G. Valdmanis, K. Palkova, D. Žalostība, D. Kroņkalns, (in Latvian) magazine Enerģija (3), 2025
Integrating Renewable Energy Solutions in Small-Scale Industrial Facilities. L. Zemīte, J. Kozadejevs, L. Jansons, I. Bode, E. Dzelzītis, K. Palkova, journal Energies 2024, 17(11), 2792 (06 Jun 2024)
Injection of Renewable Gases Into the Existing Gas Distribution Grids and Employment of Reverse Gas Flow Technique. L. Jansons, J. Siliņa, I. Bode, L. Zemīte, N. Zeltiņš, K. Palkova, Latvian Journal of Physics and Technical Sciences, Volume 61 (2024), Issue 2 (Apr 2024)
The Legal Framework for Reducing Energy Poverty in the Context of Electricity Market Liberalization in Latvia, Karina Palkova, Olafs Slūtiņš, Laila Zemīte, Juris Radzevičs, Socrates, Volume 2025, Issue 2-32 (Sept 2025)