Project will combat energy poverty
Together with Eslöv Municipality and Energikontor Syd, IVL has been granted funding from Formas for a project on reducing the risk of energy poverty. The aim is to map how energy poverty can manifest itself and how municipalities can work to reduce it.
Marika Olsson
"In Sweden, energy poverty has not been very visible, but the 2022 energy price crisis revealed that many households are unable to manage high and fluctuating energy prices. In addition, the EU recently revised directives requiring member states to work to prevent and reduce energy poverty", says Marika Olsson, energy expert at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute.
Municipalities have an important role in supporting vulnerable residents and offer, among other things, energy and climate advice. This advice is an important tool for providing guidance, to help municipal residents reduce energy poverty. Demand for it increased significantly during the energy price crisis.
This project will study how municipalities, with particular focus on Eslöv Municipality, can support residents who are vulnerable or exposed to energy poverty while also helping to achieve compliance with EU requirements. By combining research and practical application, the project will result in a method that includes several approaches adapted to different target groups.
Energy poverty does not only affect households and individuals, but also organizations and businesses. Mapping these impacts is an important part of the project.
For more information, contact:
Marika Olsson, marika.olsson@ivl.se, tel. +46 (0)10-788 67 41
Mathias Gustavsson, mathias.gustavsson@ivl.se, tel. +46 (0)10-788 65 68
The project Energy Poverty – from EU Directive to Municipal Practice – runs from January 2025 to February 2026 and is led by Eslöv Municipality. It is funded by Formas, a Swedish research council for sustainable development.