Using low beam energies in a (scanning) transmission electron microscope (S/TEM) has numerous advantages over higher beam energies. We discuss the performance of commonly available electron microscopes when being operated at reduced beam energies. Further on, we discuss the merits of low beam energies concerning the determination of the optical properties of Si as well as of buried quantum structures. For this purpose we have aligned a conventional S/TEM and the attached energy loss spectrometer for 13keV and 60keV, respectively. Finally we identify the key parameters for setting up a low voltage electron energy loss spectrometry (EELS) experiment.