The National Long-Term Strategy for Combating Energy Poverty 2023-2050 (ELPPE) aims to eradicate energy poverty in Portugal by 2050, safeguarding vulnerable consumers and integrating them into energy-efficient services.
The strategy aligns with the EU Directive on Energy Efficiency, defining energy poverty as the lack of access to essential energy services. It is guided by the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly Goal 7 on renewable and accessible energy, Goal 1 on poverty eradication, and Goal 13 on climate action.
The ELPPE outlines four strategic intervention axes: promoting housing energy and environmental sustainability, ensuring universal access to essential energy services, fostering integrated territorial action, and enhancing knowledge and informed decision-making. It establishes the National Observatory for Energy Poverty (ONPE-PT) to monitor national energy poverty trends and propose action plans.
The strategy integrates with the Long-Term Building Renovation Strategy and the National Poverty Combat Strategy, reflecting the government’s commitment to climate and energy transition acceleration. It emphasises the importance of aligning with EU policies, such as the Clean Energy for All Europeans package, to address energy poverty as a political priority.
In its implementation, the ELPPE will collaborate with relevant entities, including central and local administrations, consumer associations, energy sector representatives, and academia. It sets ambitious targets for reducing the population living in inadequately heated homes and establishes indicators to track progress towards eradicating energy poverty.
Overall, the ELPPE sets a comprehensive framework for combating energy poverty in Portugal, emphasising sustainability, inclusivity, and long-term impact.
