ENERGY EFFICIENCY WATCH 4 – POLICY SESSION

“TALKING ABOUT THE RIGHT THINGS TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE”

26th November 2020

During this event local and regional energy agencies, regions, and other energy experts :

• learned about the progress of energy efficiency policies across Europe based on the responses of 1270 energy experts from across Europe;
• gained insight into what arguments in favour of energy efficiency could be more effective in their country or at the EU level, as well as who are their actual and potential allies in the promotion of energy policies;
• exchanged how to better communicate on energy efficiency.

Successful implementation of energy efficiency policies depends to great extent on the existence of an underlying national/regional narrative about the key benefits of energy efficiency. A narrative is a means of political communication compiling arguments in favour of policy action, highlighting and explaining its benefits from more than one angle. The supportive arguments for that policy often come from neighbouring or completely different policy areas (e.g. job creation through EE legislation). This narrative needs to be accepted and shared by stakeholders and also significant parts of the population.

How do such narratives appear? How can local/regional energy agencies or public authorities develop and spread such narratives?

This workshop focused on answering these specific questions through an analysis of the EEW4 survey results and moderated discussions between sustainable energy experts.

The main conclusions are under development in the frame of the analysis of the EEW4 survey results and will be showcased as part of D.3.3.

The discussions focused on:

• the availability of concrete data regarding the link between energy efficiency policies and multiple benefits such as job creation, competitivity etc.;
• the need for increased understanding and resources to engage large industry groups and promote the value of energy efficiency;
• the simplification of messages, using comparisons and benchmarking;
• flipping our narratives is essential by focusing first on economic impacts, benefits and solutions and key the technical aspects for later discussions;
• the challenges for energy agencies to connect with national influencers such as national associations of large industries;
• targeting of energy efficiency efforts must shift from traditional public sectors to private sector stakeholders (industry, Trade Unions, Chambers of Commerce…)
• how to have more data and information on the positions of demand side & supply side.