Project reports

This report presents the results of studies carried out under PHASE II of the 4C Electricity project exploring information needs and attitudes towards electricity disclosure amongst consumers in Europe.

The results are based on detailed findings from the focus groups, telephone survey and interviews with large electricity users, each of which are presented in more detail in separate documents:

Summary of focus group research in Europe - download (pdf, 1.2MB)

Twenty focus groups held during September - December 2002 in Austria, Hungary, Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom. Fourteen of the focus groups were held with domestic consumers and six with representatives of Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). The objective of the focus group discussions was to better understand the information consumers want in making decisions on electricity supply, with particular reference to: the importance of certain kinds of information; level of detail needed for decision-making; appropriate presentation of information; and consumer concerns and interest in electricity purchases.

Telephone Survey Analysis - download (pdf, 410KB)

A telephone survey investigating the attitudes and knowledge of domestic consumers and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) regarding their electricity use and its environmental impact was conducted in 10 European countries: Austria, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden and the UK. In each country, 200 households and 100 SMEs were surveyed giving a total of 3000 interviews.

A Report on large industry interviews - download (pdf, 403KB)

This report is based on a series of key informant interviews investigating views on electricity disclosure among industry and other large electricity consumers. The objective is to provide comparative information on electricity procurement, and acceptance of future disclosure schemes, in key sectors across five European countries: Austria, Hungary, Germany, Sweden and the United Kingdom. The target group included managers and co-ordinators of electricity procurement, company executives and company environmental policy co-ordinators in energy intensive industry, large public consumers and electricity procurement advisers.

Phase 1: Implementing Electricity Disclosure in the European Liberalised Market

Electricity Disclosure in a Liberalised European Market – Phase 1 Final Report - download (pdf, 1.4MB)

Annexes to the Phase 1 Report - download (pdf, 6.2MB)

Electricity disclosure policy discussion paper - download (pdf, 1.1MB)

During the first phase of the project the practicalities of implementing electricity disclosure at Member State and European level were explored. This report outlines the main issues identified, grouped into front- and back-side components. The front-side is that which interfaces with consumer and includes the label content, question of product vs. portfolio, extent of disclosure and time references. The back-side is that which the consumer does not see (i.e. that which goes on behind the label) and discusses options for tracking electricity, dealing with imports and exports and data handling. The report begins with an overview of electricity disclosure developments in other parts of the world and Europe and ends with a possible implementation strategy.

This site is sponsored by the EU ALTENER Programme.