CLEAR-X
CLEAR-X
2021 - 2024
CLEAR-X stands for “Consumers Leading the EU’s Energy Ambition Response, Expansion”. The overall objective of the project is to enable consumers to lead the energy transition by investing in renewable energy sources (RES) and energy-efficient (EE) technologies. It aims to facilitate consumers’ access to household renewables at an affordable price, through the provision of trusted information, collective purchase schemes, and an improved regulatory framework.
Building on our past: CLEAR-X builds on learning and experience from the CLEAR 2.0 project, which focused on Western and Central Europe, and oversaw 17 group purchase projects, triggering 29,000 renewable energy installations. Thanks to that experience, we will now focus on Central and Eastern Europe and engage another 38,000 consumers to trigger €27 million worth of renewable installations. The six target countries are Bulgaria, Cyprus, Lithuania, North Macedonia, Slovakia & Slovenia.
Consumers will have access to a selection of lab-tested products (tested for energy efficiency, usability, etc), a selected installer, and a trusted third-party contact point throughout their purchase journey. As a result, consumers will be able to easily adopt RES and EE technologies and adapt their energy consumption behaviour, translating into lasting energy and monetary savings at the household level.
Why implement this project?
-
To make it easier and more affordable for consumers to make the transition to renewable energy. How? Please check Collective Actions.
-
EU buildings are responsible for 40% of our energy consumption and roughly 75% of existing building stock is currently energy inefficient.
-
80% of domestic energy demand comes from space and water heating and 75% of heating supply is based on increasingly expensive fossil fuels.
-
The Clean Energy Package enabled millions of consumers to install photovoltaic panels and to switch to more energy-efficient heating systems, but we see that there still are barriers that do not allow every consumer to benefit from those technologies.
-
Many consumers are still not aware of these opportunities and even those who are aware often cannot adopt them because they don’t have access to trustworthy advisors who could advise them on what solution is best for them, or they don’t have access to sufficient financial support.
-
The Fit for 55 package is a golden opportunity to address these (and other) unsolved issues, which will not only allow consumers to make important savings but will also allow them to contribute to solve the climate crisis.
With this project, we aimed to get the best deal possible for consumers through collective actions resulting in group purchases of renewable technologies, and to generate learnings that can be built upon, so that further roll-out of renewables across Europe are more consumer-centric.
There are 9 organisations taking part in the CLEAR-X project.
Seven of them are established consumer organisations which provide advice to consumers at national level.
The other two organisations are a European umbrella network of consumer organisations (BEUC) and a UK-based global consortium of consumer organisations that collaborate on research and testing of consumer products and services (ICRT).
ALCO
Established in 2012, Lithuanian Consumers Alliance (previously – Alliance of Lithuanian Consumer Organisations) groups together 10 consumer associations. Members of the Alliance are active consumer organisations, such as the Lithuanian Consumer Association, Lithuanian Consumer Union, Consumer Rights Protection Centre, Lithuanian Association of Bank Customers, the Lithuanian Citizens Advice Union, Association “For Honesty in Banking“, Consumer Rights Institute, FiKVA – the Finance and Credit Management Association, Insurance Policyholders Association, APGIDA – the Personal Privacy Protection and Data Security Association. The main goal of the Alliance is to represent Lithuanian consumers’ interests at both national and international levels in governmental institutions, businesses and non-governmental sectors.
BEUC, The European Consumer Organisation
BEUC, The European Consumer Organisation, is a Brussels-based umbrella group of 45 independent national consumer organisations from 31 European countries. BEUC was created to promote, defend and represent the interests of European consumers in the elaboration and implementation of EU policies.
BEUC has dedicated policy and communications teams advocating for a regulatory environment which protects consumers in energy markets across Europe. BEUC was the coordinator of the project.
BNAAC | Българска национална асоциация “Активни потребители”
BNAAC is an independent NGO which protects Bulgarian consumer interests.
It has 3 branches and 9 information and advice centres in the cities of Bulgaria. The organisation provides information and assistance to consumers, including through its magazine ACTIVE CONSUMERS, lobbies policy-makers so that legislation represents consumers’ interests and conducts comparative testing and research. BNAAC has over two decades of experience in providing trainings for experts and stakeholders in consumer protection and sustainable energy.
CCA
The Cyprus Consumers Association is an independent, non-governmental consumer organisation. Since its inception in 1973, the association plays an important role in supporting Cypriot consumers and ensuring that the consumer voice is heard at all levels of the political system. The organisation provides information to consumers about their rights, handles consumer complaints coming from the market. CCA runs a school for adults since 1990. Classes cover a range of consumer issues and rights, are weekly and free of charge.
DECO PROTeste
DECO PROTeste, Editors, Lda is an editorial company offering various services to consumers, through five output channels, namely magazines, a website (and newsletters), contact centre, lobbying and press, as well as negotiations with service providers. DECO PROTeste magazines and the website offer information on more than 100 comparative tests per year, as well as scenario surveys, statistical surveys, and personalised calculators.
DECO PROTeste’s audience includes more than 345,000 households as members of DECO. DECO PROTeste acts independently with public and private entities guided only by the defense of citizens’ rights. DECO PROTeste is the largest Portuguese organization for the defense and representation of all consumers and its main values are independence, credibility and proximity. DECO PROTeste develops its activity so that consumers know better and more extensively their rights and have access to accurate and clear information, without promotional or ideological biases. DECO PROTeste’s action is based on extensive technical, scientific and political work, allowing us to present and deliver real solutions to real problems. Is a member of BEUC, ICRT and Consumers International.
ICRT
International Consumer Research & Testing (ICRT) is a global consortium of consumer organisations that collaborate on research and testing of consumer products and services. ICRT is a not-for-profit organisation fully owned by its members. As such it is independent of product manufacturers, and acts exclusively in the interest of the consumer. ICRT enables consumer organisations worldwide to co-operate in providing high-quality and independent information on products and services, thus helping consumers make smart choices in increasingly complex markets. ICRT has 37 members that represent the interests of consumers in 34 countries worldwide, with the potential to reach more than 25m consumers through the publications of our member organisations.
OPM
The Consumers’ Organisation of Macedonia (COM) is an NGO established in 1996. The role of the organization is to support consumers of North Macedonia in achieving their consumer rights through giving advice, educating consumers and representing their interests in different governmental bodies. COM has influenced the approximation of the consumers protection legislation and policies with those of EU in all domains (market surveillance and safety of products, the food safety, patient rights, energy efficiency, financial services). COM cooperates with the network od consumers’ organisations on the national level with their consumers advice offices and together with those organisations implements a government consumer program.
SOS
SOS is a Slovak consumer organisation which provides advice to consumers and dispute resolution for consumer complaints. It was established in 2011 and runs four consumer advice centres in Slovakia, providing professional counselling and practical help particularly to vulnerable people.
SOS also organises educational seminars and trainings for consumers, traders and SMEs and has a long history in publishing manuals and publications for consumers, traders and other groups. SOS is an active member in different policy groups for national implementation of EU legislation for energy, mobility, finance, telecommunication, food and data protection.
ZPS
ZPS –Slovene Consumers’ Association is a, non-profit, independent non-government membership consumer organization established in 1990 to defend, promote and advocate for the interests of consumers. ZPS acts as the champion of the individual consumer, through advice and information, research and advocacy, campaigning and policy-making and represents Slovenian consumers nationally and internationally. Its most powerful tool is the independent consumer magazine ZPStest.
Report on collective purchase campaigns developed in all countries: successes and learnings
26/02/2024 | DECO PROTeste
Download
CLEAR-X Final Factsheet
21/02/2024 | BEUC
Download
Summary of National Advocacy Campaigns
02/02/2024 | CLEAR-X Project Partners
Download
Slovakian report on Collective Purchase Campaigns
01/02/2024 | SOS Poprad
Download
Slovenian report on Collective Purchase Campaigns
01/02/2024 | ZPS
Download
North Macedonian report on Collective Purchase Campaigns
01/02/2024 | OPM
Download
Lithuanian report on Collective Purchase Campaigns
01/02/2024 | LCA
Download
Cyprus report on Collective Purchase Campaigns
01/02/2024 | CCA
Download
Bulgarian report on Collective Purchase Campaigns
01/02/2024 | BNAAC
Download
Heat Pumps: National policy recommendations for the Fit for 55 transposition
25/10/2023 | CLEAR-X Partners
Download
PV panels: National policy recommendations for the Fit for 55 transposition
25/10/2023 | CLEAR-X Partners
Download
Hurdle Race Game: Jumping the hurdles to renewables installations in the home
21/06/2023 | Eoin Kelly
Download
What is CLEAR-X? The Factsheet
17/06/2022 | CLEAR-X project partners
Download
Digital Tools: Helping consumers understand their potential energy savings
09/06/2022 | CLEAR-X project partners
Download
CLEAR-X Advocacy Two-Pager: Overcoming barriers to RES installations
01/03/2022 | CLEAR-X project partners
Download
Policy recommendations for empowering prosumers across Europe
16/02/2022 | CLEAR-X project partners
Download
Report on the national implementation of EU energy legislation for prosumers
31/12/2021 | CLEAR-X project partners
Download
For any question related to the project or what is going on at European level, please contact:
BEUC – The European Consumer Organisation
1st floor, Rue d’Arlon 80
Brussels 1040
Belgium
+32 2 743 1590
energy@beuc.eu
www.beuc.eu
Contact Card
Eoin Kelly
Energy Policy Officer
Sara Patrone
Senior Project Manager