What is holding back energy efficiency investments in Bosnia and Herzegovina?
Interest in energy efficiency and renewable energy is there – but turning that interest into concrete action remains a challenge.
A survey* conducted under the EU4EnergyEfficiency in Bosnia and Herzegovina project gathered responses from 1,305 citizens, private and public sector representatives to better understand how familiar they are with energy efficiency (EE) measures and renewable energy source (RES) solutions, what prevents them from taking action, and how ready they are to invest. The survey exceeded its minimum target of 1,068 responses by more than 22%.
Interest is there, but many remain uncertain
The findings point to a gap between interest in EE and RES investments and readiness to move forward.
More than half (53.3%) of respondents with valid answers expressed at least some positive investment disposition – from considering a smaller, low-cost investment to being ready for a larger investment or considering it a high priority. At the same time, only 23.1% said they were likely or very likely to implement at least one EE or RES measure within the next three years. Almost half – 48.4% – were still unsure.
This suggests that the challenge is not simply a lack of interest. Rather, many respondents need clearer information, more accessible financing options and practical guidance to turn interest into investment.
Information and financing are the biggest barriers
Among respondents who were uncertain or unlikely to implement an EE or RES measure, 65.2% identified lack of information as a barrier, while 47% pointed to lack of funds. Legal and ownership issues were mentioned by 12.5%, while 7.9% identified the lack of consent from building managers or co-owners.
The information gap is particularly evident when it comes to available support. Only 5.4% of respondents said they were well or very well informed about where to obtain reliable information and financial support, such as grants, loans, subsidies and ESCO models. Awareness of practical EE measures and RES solutions was also relatively low, with 12.3% reporting high familiarity with EE measures and 17% with RES solutions.
Citizens need more practical support
The survey also points to significant differences among respondent groups.
Private and public sector respondents showed considerably greater readiness to act: 54.4% of private sector respondents and 48.5% of public sector respondents said they were likely or very likely to implement at least one EE or RES measure within the next three years. Among citizens, the corresponding figure was 19.3%.
Citizens also reported lower levels of awareness of EE measures, RES solutions and available support and financing compared with public and private sector respondents.
From awareness to action
The findings provide useful direction for future awareness-raising activities. General information about the benefits of energy efficiency is not enough: people need practical examples of available measures, information on costs and potential savings, clear guidance on grants, subsidies, credit lines and ESCO models, and trusted sources of technical advice.
The survey will also serve as a reference point for measuring progress. Using the methodology established for the project, 20.3% of respondents with valid answers currently meet both criteria used to classify them as willing to take action on energy efficiency or renewable energy. A follow-up survey is planned to assess changes in awareness, readiness and willingness to act following awareness-raising activities.
The survey was conducted as part of EU4EnergyEfficiency in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which supports more efficient and rational use of energy resources, improved energy renovation models and stronger capacities for implementing energy efficiency and renewable energy measures. The project is implemented by UNDP in cooperation with the Czech Development Agency (CzDA), with funding from the European Union.
*The survey was conducted online through social media and partner channels. The achieved sample was not weighted and was geographically concentrated in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (96.2% of respondents). The findings should therefore be interpreted as indicative of the achieved online sample rather than representative of the population of Bosnia and Herzegovina as a whole.