A graphical overview of the results (Fig. 2) allows us to detect three types of innovative measures: 1) measures with high technological scores, 2) measures with high governance dimension scores, and 3) measures with high scores on both axes (see Table 3). Next, we explain the specifics of each category by detailing some of the measures based on the score it has been assigned in the analysis, while Table 2 provides an overview of all measures in the clusters.
Table 3
Clustered measures based on the rating
Cluster
|
Policy
|
Technological dimension
|
Governance dimension
|
Measures with high scores in the social innovation dimension
|
L’atelier solidaire
|
4,8
|
6,2
|
Energy Café
|
1,0
|
5,6
|
PAEs
|
2,7
|
5,5
|
CAF-Acció (CAF)
|
1,0
|
5,6
|
Measures with high scores in the technological dimension
|
Robin Hood
|
5,8
|
3,7
|
HEEPS
|
5,5
|
3,9
|
Energy Local Club
|
5,6
|
4,6
|
Measures with high scoring in both dimensions
|
Mage
|
6,0
|
5,8
|
Coach Pro
|
5,4
|
5,5
|
Mieterstrom Model
|
5,8
|
5,2
|
Concerning measures with radical technological / incremental governance innovation, three measures stand out. The first one is Robin Hood Energy, a local, public and not-for-profit energy company. Its creation was aimed to primarily tackle energy poverty by allowing people to have access to cheaper, more helpful alternatives to the mainstream big energy companies. In this case, the high scores in the technological dimension are motivated by its use of alternative energy sources and its aim to transform the energy provision model. On the other hand, despite being an alternative to private suppliers, a focused analysis of its actual governance structure shows a low potential in terms of policy adequacy, targeting, and empowerment of affected groups. Their efforts have focused on decreasing the energy prices (and diminishing the profits of the company) as a way to tackle energy poverty.
The second measure included in this cluster is the Scottish program Home Energy Efficiency Programmes for Scotland (HEEPS). It is a holistic measure made up of four subprograms (that can change every year, depending on the needs detected) covering a diversity of aspects. Currently, it consists of Area-Based Schemes, Warmer Homes Scotland, Home Energy Scotland Loan Scheme, and an Equity Loan Pilot Scheme. The high scores in technological dimensions are justified by the program’s emphasis on alternative and sustainable energy sources and by the inclusion of innovative technological means to improve energy efficiency. In contrast, this comprehensive measure has not gotten high scores in categories connected to the social axis, such as behavioural change, policy approach (mostly top-down), affected groups empowerment and actors’ partnership in policy design, development and evaluation. However, HEEPS is well perceived in terms of targeting and in the type of resources provided. The third measure is the ‘Brixton Energy Local Club’, which develops technology to include vulnerable consumers with prepayment meters in the existing energy local club. In this latter case, we can see how a measure aiming predominantly at technological innovation manages to target vulnerable consumers by including them in an existing initiative.
Turning now to measures with incremental technological / radical governance innovation, we have four measures in this category: L’Atelier Solidaire, Energy Café, the Energy Advisory Offices (PAE4), and the CAF-Acció Project. L’Atelier Solidaire promotes local workshops conducted by neighbours and volunteers, with the aim to tackle energy poverty by reducing residents' energy and water costs, improve thermal comfort at home, and create neighbourhood-level social ties as part of the city's policy. This measure has reached high scores in all sub-dimensions related to affected groups’ involvement and participation, and also in social inclusiveness, clearly mentioned as one of its main objectives. It also has a fair rating in actor partnership because it involves different political actors, from neighbours and affected collectives to the City Council or private actors, thus involving households (including low-income) in the decision-making process.
Energy Cafés, a measure from the United Kingdom, is a civil society initiative aimed at tackling energy poverty by generating collective spaces, run by community groups. It got higher scores in all criteria connected to affected groups’ empowerment and participation, as well as social inclusiveness as a goal. This measure is highly interesting in terms of empowerment because it facilitates the autonomy of the affected groups, creating solidarity and resource nets in a local sphere that can be helpful to vulnerable collectives in every area of their lives, beyond what pertains to energy poverty.
The Energy Advice Points (PAE), created by the City Council of Barcelona, are located in each of the city’s districts of Barcelona and offer information to the general public on energy consumption and saving, as well as advice on self-production or other energy issues. The PAEs also provide specific information to energy-poor people and are the starting point for other measures to combat energy poverty (e.g. energy audits). Different from other advice schemes, it is also active from a political perspective, having a role in forming alliances, lobbying, and empowerment. A last measure with a significant impact on the social dimensions is the CAF-Acció Project. It aims to tackle energy poverty by promoting the creation of collective self-financing groups through the existing neighbours’ communities, providing emergency funds for utility bills, but mainly to self-finance energy efficiency improvements at the households. Like the previous three measures, there is a clear focus on the affected groups’ empowerment, participation, and social inclusiveness.
Concerning technological criteria, the four selected measures have mostly low ratings on technological innovation, excepting L’Atelier Solidaire, which maintains neutral scores in technological sub-dimensions. In some cases, measures emphasizing governance innovation include references to sustainable energies and associated technologies, but not as a main goal.
Finally, three measures have reached radical technological / radical governance innovation scores. Besides good scores in most of the sub-dimensions, the scoring patterns also show that all three measures lack very low ratings in any subcategory. So, even when the scoring is not very high, their rates do not fall in any of the subcategories.
MAGE (Mesurer et Accompagner pour Garantir les Economies) is a household coaching scheme for vulnerable households that incorporates smart technologies as consumption measurement tools. Household beneficiaries have a tablet connected to the electricity meter that indicates their power consumption in real-time5. This activity is complemented by individual coaching conducted by the association SoliHa Paris: Hauts de Seine Val d'Oise. For a year, tenants who wish to will receive three home visits to assist them in controlling their consumption of water and energy, as measured by the tablet, with tailored advice. In terms of governance innovation, this measure has a clear goal of behaviour change, as well as the incorporation of different actors in a partnership and the forecasting of monitoring tools throughout the process. On the other hand, these are complementary to incorporating new technologies into the domestic sphere and promoting consumer awareness and consumption pattern transformation.
The second measure is Coach Pro, also from France. It is a free digital platform to coordinate and assess energy renovation. The main goal of the project is the renovation of the Parisian housing blocks with a clear goal to reduce consumption and emissions and to alleviate energy poverty. The renovation program includes different steps: (1) energy situation diagnosis, (2) choosing the tasks to be performed (it is mandatory to individualize the heating costs, isolation renovations), (3) establish a funding plan (4) organizing tasks and (5) performing tasks. The digital platform is oriented to co-owners, members of the trade union council, trustees and their managers, housing operators and building professionals, who are involved at each step of the process. Finally, the Mieterstrom Model (“tenants-electricity model”, Germany) is a family of measures which support a decentralized electricity supply that enables not only the better-off households and home-owners, but also low-income tenants to benefit from the subsidies for generating solar energy. The Mieterstrom Model is based on the interaction between landlords, tenants and electricity providers: the landlord produces electricity from alternative and sustainable sources local to the house and sells it to his tenants through the electricity supplier for a reduced price. The local sale has advantages for both sides: the landlord's investments become more profitable, while the electricity costs for the tenants decrease. Moreover, regional programs, such as the Thuringian “Solar Invest“, provide better frameworks and financial support.
4 In the original Catalan version: Punts d’Assessorament Energètic.
5 The Tablet was designed and provided by one of the partners: the private company Eco CO2.