Energy Efficiency Project Idea

Having identified the challenges and the current capacity of the network, the NALAS Task Force on Energy Efficiency developed project activities that could address some of the challenges and promote innovative use, reuse and conservation of energy. The project activities form a comprehensive project. The proposed project would address the following barriers:

• Lack of awareness on the part of the local authorities and the citizens regarding energy efficiency and renewable energy sources;
• Lack of scientific capacity and expertise in creating well dimensioned proposals – especially in the environmental and economic parts and
• Poor local energy strategies or plans and/or poor baseline data on current energy consumption.

The proposed project would have two closely connected components. The first component would focus on conducting pilot activities within the NALAS members and the second component would consist of crosscutting activities.

NALAS Members

Pilot activities

It is envisioned that one municipality per each region or association would get involved in one pilot activities described below. The pilot activities would have to bring tangible results and be both efficient and effective for the selected municipality. It would also have to meet the energy view of the municipality and the responsible local government association.

Low Energy School Building with Public Awareness Component

With this pilot project, a school building with poor energy rating would be renovated and upgraded to a highly efficient one, with minimal loss of energy and use of renewable energy sources to reduce consumption of external energy. During the process and after its completion, publications would be distributed and, through campaigns and the local media, the public would get informed how proper planning and action can improve the quality of the environment in which schoolchildren work and play.

Even though only one building will be renovated, it is the process that will be most beneficial for the local authorities. By learning how to organize energy audits, conduct feasibility study, properly prepare a project and monitor the energy consumption and efficiency after the upgrade, the local authorities will be able to replicate and adapt the process for other municipal buildings.

This pilot project directly addresses the first two barriers mentioned above.

Objective: Raising awareness of energy efficiency among the young population through model examples

Output: Reduced energy consumption of a school building by involvement of new technologies

Activities:

• Energy audit on a number of buildings to select the most inefficient one
• Feasibility study to produce optimal technical proposal
• Project to implement one or more technologies – boilers, solar panels, heat pumps, biogas, photovoltaic panels and wind turbines
• Monitoring, SCADA
• Training for municipalities
• Guideline and publications
• Advertising campaign
• LED lighting of the faзade

Timeline: Between 1 and 1.5 years

Interested associations in Republic of Srpska, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Slovenia and Turkey

Heating and Cooling with Renewable Sources

This pilot activity envisions creation of a system that uses renewable sources – preferably geothermal energy – to provide heating or cooling to connected buildings. A public building would be connected to such a system to become independent from other sources of energy for temperature regulation. Even though only one building will be connected, this may be the basis for a district heating system. By learning the complete process, local authorities will be able to extend the current implementation to include more buildings and to replicate the process for other areas where such energy sources are available.

Objective: Energy independence of a municipal building. To serve as an example for use of geothermal energy for district heating and/or cooling.

Output: Raised share of renewable energy in the total energy consumption.

Timeline: 1.5 years

Interested association in Macedonia

Street Lighting

The street lighting pilot activity is envisioned to serve as a case study investment project. It will develop the skills at the local authority level to identify, develop and implement energy efficiency projects by providing assistance to a local authority to assess the current situation, complete a feasibility study, develop a project based on the feasibility study and seek for funding to upgrade the street lighting in the municipality. This pilot project will also serve as an example investment opportunity for banks and commercial companies.

Objective: Increased quality and efficiency of street lighting and improved traffic conditions and security

Output: Reduced operational cost of street lighting

Activities:

• Energy audit
• Feasibility study
• Project
• Monitoring / SCADA
• Public awareness campaign

Timeline: 1.5 years Interested association in Kosovo

Crosscutting Activities

The crosscutting activities would focus on the policy reform needed to support implementation of innovative energy strategies and on disseminating the knowledge gathered from the pilot projects. The crosscutting activities would bring citizens, local authorities, energy companies and investors together to spread knowledge on current trends and activities and encourage joint action for achieving better energy efficiency.

Compilation of model municipal policies and state regulations

This activity addresses the third barrier mentioned above: Poor local energy strategies or plans and/or poor baseline data on current energy consumption.

Having a responsibility to mitigate the energy challenges of the public and private sector, local and regional authorities have to work on new municipal policies and state regulations. This activity would gather experience to show how certain municipal policies and regulations encourage change and would offer model policies that have significant impact among the citizens and businesses. By using the newly available data on energy consumption, local authorities will be able to project future consumption and include return of investment parameters into planning.

Best Practices (pilot experience)

The pilot activities, as well as other current and completed energy activities are invaluable source of experience for the local authorities. By learning the processes for planning, designing and implementing energy projects and by gathering actual experience of fellow local authorities in conducting such projects, the local authorities will be able to focus on activities that have biggest impact and best address their interests. This activity would also offer advice on conducting energy projects, as well as tips and tricks used by the pilot municipalities.

Energy Efficiency Event / Fair at each country

In most cases these and other pilot activities would be easily replicable to other municipalities in South-East Europe. This activity envisions bringing together mayors, energy managers, energy experts and potential investors to learn about the on-going and completed energy activities, present their initiatives and activities and get inspired for future energy actions they could take. Experts and banks would provide advice on planning and funding, enabling quicker and safer development of future energy activities.

International conference and networking

Having gathered significant pilot experience and developed model municipal policies, the whole energy experience can only be complete if all policymakers get together and develop joint action. An international conference and networking would bring together international organizations, state governments and local and regional authorities of South-East Europe to discuss current actions and plan together for joint mitigation of the energy challenges in the region.