Energy

Follow related Publications Contact us
Topics
Energy consumer rights
Energy markets
Renewable energy
Guidelines for consumers are available, CLEAR-HP
Reports
CLEAR-HP: Guidelines for consumers
- PDF Document - 7.82 MB

Renewable energy
Available in English
The guidelines cover topics such as:

Types of heat pumps

Steps to prepare your home (e.g., energy assessment, heat pump size, insulation)

Research tips and questions to ask installers

Heat pump placement, noise level, and electrical panel readiness

Available subsidies and financial options

BEUC developed the guidelines based on past experience, including a Mystery Shopping exercise that identified common consumer challenges. Partners were invited to review and adapt the document for national contexts, ensuring it includes the latest financial information as schemes frequently change.
Read more
CLEAR-HP, blue cover of report
Reports
Report on the national implementation of selected EU energy legislation in target countries and assessment of available funding schemes for heat pumps
- PDF Document - 726.78 KB

Renewable energy
Available in English
This document gives an overviews of the legislation and financing schemes in Belgium, Bulgaria, Italy, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Spain to identify barriers to adopting heat pumps. The focus is on the implementation of EU directives related to renewable energy and electricity markets, particularly concerning public subsidies and loan/lease agreements for heat pumps. The review also assesses installer certification and the role of National Recovery and Resilience Plans. Consumer feedback on national policies and financing options is also included to identify challenges in increasing heat pump adoption.
Read more

Despite many attempts for improvement, the energy market is still a sector of great concern to European consumers as it has many failures: there is concern over complex tariffs, rising prices, poor service or mis-selling, the difficulty of switching and confusion over what consumers can do to lower their bills, including how to be energy efficient.

Access to affordable energy is a real worry for consumers, particularly for vulnerable groups such as those with a low income. Despite the opening of the markets, competition remains limited, restricting consumer choice and driving up prices. Unfair commercial practices such as aggressive doorstep-selling are another source of consumer frustration in the energy market.

‘Smart technologies’ such as smart meters are heralded as the future and they are claimed to offer benefits to consumers. Yet they raise numerous questions about their true potential to deliver real benefits to consumers, as well as risks related to privacy and cost increases.

  • Ensure energy is affordable and available to all consumers

  • Enable consumers to easily choose between various energy suppliers and switch to the best deal

  • Ensure that smart energy systems and other new developments are affordable and designed to benefit consumers