The EU’s Long-Term Vision for Rural Areas emphasises the need to promote building renovation, strengthen local renewable energy production, and reduce energy poverty. This document examines these priorities through two closely connected angles: energy poverty and the energy needs of the building stock, with a particular focus on rural territories.

Data show that rural households face greater difficulties in maintaining thermal comfort and meeting their energy expenses, a situation especially pronounced in Bulgaria, Romania, and Greece. Even so, these areas have led to recent efficiency improvements: almost one third of their residents live in renovated dwellings. However, the prevalence of low-rise buildings with large volumes per inhabitant continues to pose significant challenges for reducing energy demand.

At the same time, the potential of rural areas to adopt solar solutions is notable. The greater availability of roof surface and the high share of owner-occupied housing facilitate photovoltaic installation. With widespread deployment, annual production could exceed the average electricity consumption of European households, providing an effective route to alleviate energy poverty and advance towards a fairer energy transition.