A fundamental phase in the elaboration of the Energy Efficiency National Plan/ PlanEEAr is the identification of the obstacles or challenges that explain the behavior of the different stakeholders. These are usually classified as gaps or barriers that energy efficiency actions face when being implemented.
In many cases, despite being cost effective, the stakeholders do not take many energy efficiency measures (both in the residential area and in the industrial sector), since there are different types of barriers faced that must be removed through policies. Only a diagnosis that contains a correct identification of the barriers to overcome can result in a set of appropriate instruments.

In this sense, information gathering actions are being developed using qualitative research techniques, such as interviews with qualified information sources and participatory workshops / focus groups.

Definition and scope of the different levels of obstacles to Energy Efficiency actions

Edge Conditions

» More general macroeconomic and legal aspects, operation of the financial market, global conditions, international agreements, culture, etc.

» They do not depend on the decision of the sector or agency

Enabling Conditions

» Neccesary elements to enable the effective application of specific policies and strategies to improve EE.

» Aspects that need to be prioritarily addresed in order to enable the invertention through the identified instruments to overcame the barriers.

Specific problems faced by the stakeholders when implementing energy efficiency measures.

» They could be overcome through public policies and strategies

» Their clear identification is fundamental when it comes to selecting the type of instruments to be implemented.

The elaboration of the PlanEEAr is structured through a participatory process for the identification of Energy Efficiency barriers following a well-known strategy of qualitative research in social sciences: the so-called "focus group" or "discussion groups". This process has at least three contact stages with key stakeholders from the energy efficiency policy: conducting interviews, exploratory workshops and validation workshops. There is also a discussion stage with the government entities in charge of the implementation of the proposed instruments.

PARTICIPATORY PROCESS

Desk Work

» International background

» National background

Interview with qualified source information

» Interviews with EE experts

» Interviews with chambers of commerce/ companies

» Directed surveys

Exploratory workshops

» Focus Group

» Discussion and review of the information gathered

Preliminary proposal of instruments

» List of feasible instruments and measures based on the identified barriers

Validation Workshops

» Focus Group

» Validation of the instruments proposal.

When it comes to developing a Plan, we need to formulate scenarios where different situations of possible futures are raised and different strategies are evaluated in order to attain the objectives set, while considering the potential reaction of the social stakeholders.
In this framework, based on the results of the energy diagnostics, 2040 energy and socio-economic scenarios will be developed. These scenarios will include different ENERGY EFFICIENCY MEASURES.

In order to elaborate the PlanEEAr proposal, we launched a survey on the provincial initiatives in Energy Efficiency, in order to learn from recent experiences and see which are the main problems faced when promoting this type of actions.

This initial survey shows that:

There are various initiatives at provincial level which are not, in most cases, articulated between each other or with the actions proposed at national level.

There is a lack of knowledge regarding the initiatives carried out in certain provinces on behalf of the other provinces.

In general, most of the provinces have developed prioritary actions in the residential sector (replacement of luminaire equipment, training, labeling actions, carrying out diagnostics); in SMEs (training, audits, financing schemes); and in the public sector, both public lighting through replacement of luminaires, and in public buildings through the development of diagnostic, information and training programs.

The most common barriers identified are related to financing, training and / or local capacities, information availability and dissemination.

It is in this context that the creation of an Energy Efficiency network among the provinces is proposed as an institutional initiative, in order to generate synergies among the implemented actions.