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The Government of Slovenia has adopted an action plan for the reduction of energy poverty, which envisages the allocation of almost EUR 34 million over the period 2024-2026. The Ministry of the Environment, Climate and Energy prepared the document.
Slovenia’s goal is to reduce the share of energy-poor households from 7.2% or 62,000 (102,000 citizens or 4.9% of the population) to between 3.8% and 4.6%, according to the action plan.
According to Eurostat, more than 41 million people in Europe (9.3% of the population) were unable to adequately heat their homes in 2021.
The action plan has three objectives
Minister of the Environment, Climate and Energy Bojan Kumer said the action plan primarily concerns energy efficiency measures to reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions and improve the living conditions of vulnerable groups.
The document is also crucial for ensuring a just transition to a low-carbon society, as well as for the successful distribution of aid to vulnerable groups, which is already available to reduce energy poverty, Kumer explained.
The legislation also regulates the association of citizens into energy cooperatives
The action plan is aimed at reducing the share of energy-poor households, facilitating investments in energy efficiency measures and the use of renewable energy in at least 8,000 homes, as well as energy savings over the period 2021-2030 in the amount of 573 GWh.
The investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy use and the inclusion of energy-poor households in energy communities (cooperatives) are planned to be implemented by 2026, the ministry said.
Out of EUR 33.8 million, EUR 27 million is for energy efficiency and renewables while EUR 5 million was earmarked for energy communities and the remainder is intended for informing and advising citizens and raising awareness.
Subsidies up to EUR 18,000
State agency Eco Fund will be in charge of implementing the measures.
It plans to issue a EUR 5 million public call for energy-poor households very soon. It will be based on the experience of the ZERO500 program, in which 426 residential buildings were renovated.
The households will be able to receive incentives of up to EUR 18,000 each for various measures including thermal insulation of roofs and facades, installation of energy-efficient windows and replacement of old heating devices with new ones on wood biomass.
Measures from the action plan are set to be funded by Slovenia’s Climate Change Fund and the European Fund for Regional Development.
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