ENERGY EFFICIENCY WATCH 4 – POLICY SESSION

“THE ENERGY TRANSITION IN TIMES LIKE THESE”

14th June 2022

Leon, Spain

The recent period of the pandemic, high energy prices, energy insecurity, and climate emergency have tested the capacity of regions and their regional/local energy agencies to respond to evolving demand. This workshop focused on exploring questions such as:

• How should regions and energy agencies position themselves and the energy transition in times like these?
• What new narratives should we develop and how should we roll them out?
• How new skills/services would be necessary for this rollout?

The Energy Efficiency Watch 4 project has been studying how enabling narratives work, what makes them tick and how can regions and energy agencies use them to reach their climate and energy goals. The workshop confronted the data and insight collected through the EEW4 project EU survey as well as the 10 case studies, to the on-the-ground experience of regions and energy agencies from across Europe in order to further test the narrative methodology developed within the project.

The brainstorming exercises focused on placing the current services and operations of energy agencies and regions within the current contexts, analysing existing narratives and related toolboxes, and asses their required/feasible evolution and adjustment to current contexts and objectives.

The event’s objective was to embed the “narrative” know-how of EEW4 within the fabric and operations of regions and energy agencies, with particular consideration given to the adaptation of narratives to the current energy crisis as well as to the “Climate Neutrality” new paradigm. Multiple implications of the current crisis were considered:

• Rise of energy prices well before the Russian crisis
• Lack of staff
• Fuel poverty increasing
• 2030 quickly approaching
• Policy changes, new policies and new programmes – REPowerEU
• Old business models do not work anymore
• Citizens are more engaged/concerned
• More investments are made and even more needed

For most participants there’s a booming demand of support from energy users; funding also is more available. Some organisations are looking at framing the energy transition as an economic survival strategy. All participants are confronted with 3 main challenges:

• Adapting the communication of agencies/regions: which narratives? which messages? (focus on 0 CO2 option and clear messaging of phase-out with dates; jobs & money key interests; better segmentation; multiple benefits; rebrand existing services…);
• New services & new target groups (climate Neutrality toolbox; OSS renovation support & facilitation services; develop a branch focused on training of elected representatives…);
• Contribution to policy development (improve information transfer; upskilling; transform commitments in legally binding requirements; demonstrate how energy transition improves competitiveness…).

This exercise was particularly effective as it enabled to test the EEW4 preliminary narratives and understanding on how they emerge and adapt to contexts. This was a highly interactive workshop with the active participation of all the regions and agency representatives present. 47 participants from 30 regions in Europe participated in the workshop.