Fighting Energy Poverty Using User-Driven Approaches in Mountainous Greece: Lessons Learnt from a Living Lab

Lefkothea Papada, Anastasios Balaskas, Nikolas Katsoulakos, Dimitris Kaliampakos and Dimitris Damigos
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Lefkothea Papada: Laboratory of Mining and Environmental Technology, School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Zografou Campus, Greece
Anastasios Balaskas: Laboratory of Mining and Environmental Technology, School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Zografou Campus, Greece
Nikolas Katsoulakos: Laboratory of Mining and Environmental Technology, School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Zografou Campus, Greece
Dimitris Kaliampakos: Laboratory of Mining and Environmental Technology, School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Zografou Campus, Greece
Dimitris Damigos: Laboratory of Mining and Environmental Technology, School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering, National Technical University of Athens, 15780 Zografou Campus, Greece

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-17

Abstract: The experience of operating an energy-related Living Lab (LL) in mountainous Greece is presented in this paper in an attempt to explore the dynamics of such initiatives to address energy vulnerability. The LL is situated in Metsovo, which is a typical mountainous town of Greece with increased vulnerability issues identified in previous studies. Since Greek mountainous societies have proved to be particularly exposed to energy poverty, the LL aimed to function as an exemplary case on how to tackle energy poverty issues in mountainous regions, mainly through reducing energy consumption and improving energy efficiency. The methodological context was based on a holistic LL approach consisting of various activities, such as conduction of energy cafés, questionnaire surveys, home visits from Energy Advisors, installation of monitoring equipment, ICT tools and processing, etc. In particular, the LL consisted of three independent rounds, each of which involved 50 households, with 30 of them being equipped with monitoring tools. Energy advisors repeatedly visited households to collect information (on heating expenses, behavioral aspects, etc.) and offer household-specific advice on potential energy savings measures. Overall, the LL operation proved to have benefited most participants (76%), especially households with monitoring equipment, as 85.5% of the last ones already applied energy-efficiency measures and 80% made further plans for future investments. Through the particular LL example, apart from the benefits delivered to the local society, useful information can be provided to policy-makers toward addressing more effectively energy vulnerability in mountainous societies.

Keywords: living lab; energy poverty; Greece; households; energy consumption; energy savings (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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