Slovenian consumer Association ZPS has launched its second collective purchase campaign of the CLEAR-X project, and the fourth campaign of the project overall, offering Slovenian consumers access to quality heat pumps for heating and cooling.
“These devices are, in effect, air conditioners, that can be used for cooling in increasingly hot summers,” explained Peter Klemenčič, who is leading the project on behalf of ZPS, “but the same device can be used for energy efficient heating in late autumn and early spring, when central heating feels wasteful for consumers – as long the external temperature is not below 10 °C”.
Demand for this type of product has risen in Slovenia, due to several factors: climate-conscious consumers who wish to switch to renewable energy, comfort-conscious consumers who want an indoor climate that suits them better, and crucially, money-conscious consumers who are moving away from fossil fuels due to the increasing costs.
The number of households in Slovenia, using air conditioning is rising, confirmed by research which shows that the share of households using air conditioning has risen from 26% in 2015 to 44% in 2022. More than 50% of those surveyed confirmed that they cannot go without air conditioning in the summer.
The campaign, which kicked off this week, offer consumers the chance to participate in the collective purchase. The registered consumers will be presented with the collective purchase offer in early February 2023 and thus invited to purchase the product at a competitive price, and be guided through the process of purchase and installation, including ZPSs’ purchase recommendation. ZPS aims for a good deal, comprised of a lucrative price compared to standard retail prices which will include installation by trusted installers for energy efficient operating.
“Earlier this year, our research showed that consumers are reluctant to engage in the energy transition due to a number of factors – high upfront costs, not knowing who to ask for impartial advice, and not being able to finding an installers, for starters,” commented Eoin Kelly, policy officer at BEUC, who are co-ordinating the CLEAR-X project at European level. “This offer from ZPS ticks all of those boxes, and more – it can make a real difference in getting people to finally switch to renewables.”
For more information on the campaign, click here.