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