ASTER - Access to Sustainability for Tenants through Energy Effective Retrofit
About this good practice
The Flemish social housing sector wants to contribute to a better climate by investing in solar panels, and as such reduce CO2-emissions through sustainable solar energy production. They also want to reduce the energy costs of social tenants and tackle energy poverty in Flanders.
ASTER was founded to make energy and insulation needs of social housing in Flanders more sustainable. The cooperation strives to achieve a positive social impact on people (in particular social tenants), the environment and society.
Flemish regulations offer social housing providers the opportunity, under certain conditions, to pass on investments in renewable energy sources to social tenants. This is an important incentive for the social housing sector to invest in sustainable energy applications for their tenants.
In the coming years, ASTER will install 395,000 solar panels on 52,500 social homes. This solar capacity of 158 MWp will produce approximately 130 GWh of solar power annually. As such, social housing companies reduce CO2 emissions by 35,000 tons annually.
Social tenants only pay a fee for the solar power they use when the sun shines. The Flemish government determines the rates for simultaneously consumed solar power, for both protected and non-protected customers. The solar power is approximately a quarter (25%) cheaper than the electricity from the energy supplier. Social tenants who simultaneously use solar power are thus assured of a benefit on their energy bill.
Resources needed
Regulatory and technical knowledge (e.g. energy, public procurement).
Staff time to communicate with stakeholders in preparation of the project. Total estimated investment = EUR 150 million. ASTER took out a loan from a private bank for this investment. There is no recourse to government subsidies.
Evidence of success
Since August 2022:
• 40 shareholders (of the 41 housing companies) joined ASTER who together rent out 98.5 percent of all Flemish social housing.
• 18,2 GWh solar power produced (situation on May 1, 2024
• 4.974,7tonnes of CO2 emissions saved (situation on May 1, 2024)
• 9,035 installations built of planned to be built in the next few months
• 102,607 PV-panels on the roofs of social dwellings
• 42,404.31 kWp
Potential for learning or transfer
ASTER cv is a 'public entity'. Its members are residential companies, whose shareholders are all (with a few exceptions) local authorities. As such, ultimately it is the local authorities that, albeit indirectly, manage ASTER.
Other public autorities managing social housing in Europe can learn from and duplicate the ASTER model, taking into account the regulations applying in the individual Member States. With the model, social housing providers can give social tenants access to sustainable energy, without tenants having to make investments themselves. Social housing providers don’t have to rely on government subsidies to combat energy poverty among social tenants without having to make major investments from their own resources.
The most important thing, is to invest sufficient amount of time into ‘willingnes' by communicating thoroughly and frequently with the relevant stakeholders ( administrators, politicians, civil servants, tenants) to reach full support for such a project.
Further information
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Good practice owner
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