A carregar...
Projeto de investigação
Novo: Exploring the role of hard-to-reach energy users in just energy transitions: Characterization of audiences and development of a local-scale support framework. Inicial: Leveraging energy efficiency in the small business service and commerce sector: Development of a framework and application of effective methods at neighborhood scale
Financiador
Autores
Publicações
(Dis)comfortably numb in energy transitions
Publication . Sequeira, Miguel Macias; Gouveia, João Pedro; Melo, João Joanaz de; CENSE - Centro de Investigação em Ambiente e Sustentabilidade; Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT); Elsevier
Hard-to-reach energy users – those who are difficult to reach, underserved, or hard to engage or motivate – are a vital concern for just energy transitions. Previous studies in the Global North have suggested three major residential groups, namely vulnerable households, high-income households, and tenants and landlords, for which one-size-fits-all policies have proven largely unsuccessful. Still, more research is needed to identify hard-to-reach groups and to understand households' decision-making processes. In this context, we review the literature to systematise a theoretical framework, proposing thirteen profiles for vulnerable households (low-income, low education, rural, multi-family, elderly, young, single parents, migrants, unemployed, ill-health and disabilities, ethnic minorities and indigenous groups, homeless and informal settlements, travellers and nomadic communities), two for high-income households (high-income, sumptuous spenders), and two for tenants and landlords (tenants, landlords). We select indicators to gauge these audiences in the European Union. Results suggest that a substantial share of households may be hard-to-reach, with several profiles (e.g., low-income, tenants) individually accounting for 30 % of the population. Relevant variations are found across Member States. Furthermore, a significant population share intersects at least two profiles, compounding the barriers to their engagement. These households require targeted and tailored policies and interventions to address their needs, which are broadly discussed. The hard-to-reach concept can be useful to inform policymakers and practitioners. Data gaps emerge for marginalised and wealthy groups. Heterogeneity and intersectionality add further complexity. Future research can fill these gaps while taking on multi-scalar, plural, and inclusive approaches to identify and engage hard-to-reach households.
Can local organizations act as middle actors in energy support? Exploring their functions, motivations, challenges, and needs
Publication . Sequeira, Miguel Macias; Gouveia, João Pedro; Joanaz de Melo, João; Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia (FCT); CENSE - Centro de Investigação em Ambiente e Sustentabilidade; Springer Science Business Media
Energy efficiency is vital for energy transitions, and energy-poor, vulnerable, and hard-to-reach groups are at risk of being left behind. In this context, local middle actors have been suggested as partners in deploying targeted energy support. Nevertheless, scarce research has engaged with them to assess if they are willing and capable of contributing, if they can reach households, and if they have unmet needs. In this research, we draw on the mapping of 198 local organizations and 34 semi-structured interviews conducted after deploying a pilot energy support service in Setúbal, Portugal. Interviews characterized the organizations and target audiences, assessed energy literacy, explored potential collaborative roles, and recognized drivers, barriers, and solutions. Results show that most organizations are willing to disseminate activities, forward citizens, facilitate contacts, co-organize events, and participate in training. Half can identify vulnerable families for proactive support. Drivers include environmental concerns, community participation, and social support. However, few seem able to conduct energy support, hire/redirect staff, or participate in coordination. Scarce human resources, lack of time, other priorities, and financing concerns severely constrain local organizations. This case study finds some potential for local organizations to act as intermediaries in energy support, building on their communication channels and trusted relationships to fulfill specific roles. However, they are often hard-to-reach themselves and burdened with demanding activities. Thus, we suggest that fostering collaborations with local organizations is challenging but possible. It requires dedicated funding, time, and resources to empower, capacitate, and reward middle actors for their contributions in delivering energy support.
A Sequential Multi-Staged Approach for Developing Digital One-Stop Shops to Support Energy Renovations of Residential Buildings
Publication . Sequeira, Miguel Macias; Gouveia, João Pedro; CENSE - Centro de Investigação em Ambiente e Sustentabilidade; MDPI - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute
Buildings account for 40% of the European Union’s energy consumption. Deep energy renovation of residential buildings is key for decarbonization and energy poverty alleviation. However, renovation is occurring at far below the needed pace and depth. In this context, building renovation one-stop shops, which bring all project phases under one roof and provide advice, support, and finance to households, are highlighted as a promising solution. Nevertheless, this model is still absent or under-developed in most European countries and remains understudied in the scientific literature. Therefore, the present research goals are as follows: (i) to provide a critical review of emerging one-stop shop models; (ii) to streamline the deployment of building renovation digital one-stop shops by piloting a sequential multi-staged approach for Portuguese households and proposing it for replication elsewhere; and (iii) to compare case-study insights with other one-stop shops and discuss the notion in the context of the European Renovation Wave. In total, for the Portuguese case-study, five steps were conducted. The first three—stakeholder mapping, expert interviews, and customer journey—aimed to gather intel on the local energy renovation market. The results from these stages informed the design of the platform (fourth step). Finally, a post-launch market consultation survey gathered user feedback (fifth step). Insights from this study suggest that digital one-stop shops, while providing a helpful tool to close information gaps and activate specific audiences, may be insufficient on their own. As such, a more comprehensive set of instruments supporting households is needed to accelerate building renovation.
Hard-to-reach energy users
Publication . Mundaca, Luis; Rotmann, Sea; Ashby, Kira; Karlin, Beth; Butler, Danielle; Sequeira, Miguel Macias; Gouveia, João Pedro; Palma, Pedro; Realini, Anna; Maggiore, Simone; Feenstra, Mariëlle; CENSE - Centro de Investigação em Ambiente e Sustentabilidade; Elsevier
Hard-to-reach (HTR) energy users encompass individuals who are physically difficult to reach, underserved, or challenging to engage and motivate in demand-side energy programmes. Given a mix of societal challenges (e.g. inequity, energy poverty, decarbonisation, the COVID-19 pandemic), HTR energy users are receiving increasing attention. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the performance of interventions that target (explicitly or implicitly) HTR energy users, particularly from a behaviour change perspective. Our study addresses this knowledge gap, and aims to provide a systematic ex-post comparative cross-country assessment of nineteen case studies, implemented in eight countries. From a methodological point of view, our study explores and tests the usefulness of applying the ‘Building Blocks of Behaviour Change’ (BBBC) in assessing the extent to which interventions employ design and implementation practices that are known to drive behaviour change. Our findings reveal that interventions perform well with respect to the Audience, Behaviour, and Delivery building blocks, but show room for improvement in the Content and Evaluate blocks. Assessing the BBBC framework reveals promising results in terms of credibility, confirmability, transferability, and reliability; however, limitations and uncertainties are also present. Considering the exploratory methodological nature of our study, the results highlight numerous context-specific factors that frame our findings and the suitability of the research approach. We underscore that greater attention must be paid to both the integration of behavioural science methods into HTR interventions, and the systematic analysis of heterogeneity in future HTR-related energy research.
Hard-to-reach energy users in just energy transitions: Identifying target groups and piloting local action
Publication . Sequeira, Miguel Macias Marques; Gouveia, João; Melo, João
Energy lies at the heart of urgent transformations. Climate change and energy poverty are
uttered global priorities. However, despite well-known solutions, energy transitions are not yet
at the needed pace. Citizens have been pushed to the frontline with high hopes for their uptake
of energy efficiency and renewable energy. Still, multi-faceted barriers stand in the way of
participation. These are particularly stark for hard-to-reach energy users which can be broadly
defined as those who are difficult to reach or hard to engage or motivate by policies and
interventions. While this concept has attracted attention, it still lacks systematisation and
operationalisation. Moreover, how to activate hard-to-reach groups remains a key research
gap. Without faster, deeper, and broader adoption of energy efficiency and renewable energy,
and more effective citizen engagement, energy transitions will remain off track.
In this context, this research has the goal of increasing knowledge on how to engage hard-to-
reach energy users in just energy transitions. First, it systematises and characterises profiles
that may be classified as hard-to-reach and estimates their size at multiple scales from the
European to the national and local levels. Second, it operationalises the concept for the ex-
ante assessment of energy policies and for the ex-post evaluation of on-the-ground projects.
Third, action research is applied to three case-studies in Portugal, namely a digital one-stop
shop for home renovation, a physical energy support one-stop shop, and a renewable energy
community, for a closer look on approaches that seek to activate hard-to-reach groups. Fourth,
recognising their common but ambiguous presence, it engages with local organisations to
critically assess their roles as middle actors in energy transitions.
This research shows that hard-to-reach groups are significant at multiple scales, highlighting,
for instance, low-income households, multi-family buildings, people with ill-health and
disabilities, tenants, and micro-enterprises. It demonstrates that intersectionality compounds
vulnerabilities and that variations exist across nations and regions. Data gaps are found for the
most marginalised and the wealthiest profiles. This work argues that policymakers can still do
much more to recognise hard-to-reach groups and to deploy targeted and tailored measures.
Local action seems more effective at engaging hard-to-reach audiences, for instance, through
trusted messengers, but has limitations on impact assessment and persistency.
Digital platforms can be useful tools in the energy transition toolbox but do not address hard-
to-reach groups. Instead, greater potential is found in local actions; for instance, one-stop
shops can deploy face-to-face support and energy communities can produce and share solar power. Local stakeholders can play diverse roles, such as communicating with vulnerable
households. However, many organisations face challenges and, if successful partnerships are
to be established, dedicated funding and capacity building are a must. Local action relies
heavily on the efforts of dedicated individuals and organisations, making their sustainability,
upscaling, and replication challenging without stronger institutional backing at all levels of
government.
Finally, this research's outputs are useful for policymakers, researchers, and practitioners
working on energy transitions at multiple scales. A more sustainable, just, and democratic
energy system is within reach, but it requires unprecedented commitment by all actors.
Unidades organizacionais
Descrição
Palavras-chave
Contribuidores
Financiadores
Entidade financiadora
Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia
Programa de financiamento
Número da atribuição
2020.04774.BD