Boost for Local Energy Management: MENERGERS Final Conference
On March 27, the final conference of the MENERGERS project took place in Sofia, bringing together partners from Bulgaria, Germany and Romania, as well as representatives from municipalities involved in the project. The project aimed to support the development of competencies for efficient local energy management.
The project consortium includes the National Trust Ecofund (NTEF) and Sofia Energy Agency (SOFENA) from Bulgaria, the Independent Institute for Environmental Issues (UfU) from Germany and Energy Cities Romania (OER).
The event discussed the progress of the six selected municipalities: Ruse, Sapareva Banya and Svilengrad from Bulgaria, Alba Iulia, Sfântu Gheorghe and Zalău from Romania.
From Theory to Practice in Local Energy Management
One of the most important outcomes of the project was the development of a practical model for the Municipal Energy Manager service. This model, presented by the Bulgarian partners in a comprehensive conference panel, includes self-assessment, internal communication analysis and direct testing of the model in municipalities. In Romania, the Ministry of Energy’s experience in certifying Energy Managers was a valuable source of inspiration for Bulgaria, highlighting the importance of continuous training and clear competency standards.
The MENERGERS Final Conference also included a panel dedicated to Romanian cities, where discussions focused on the Energy Performance Indicators Guide, a useful practical tool developed under the project, based on the Romanian cities‘ needs assessment. Panel participants analysed how to implement the MENERGERS Guide in practice and its impact on local decision-making processes, with concrete direct contribution to Energy and Climate objectives.
Partners from Germany, Independent Institute for Environmental Issues (UfU), also contributed with valuable insights, emphasising the importance of cost-benefit analysis for the long-term sustainability and functioning of energy management services at the municipal level.
Lessons Learnt and Recommendations
The event highlighted several key lessons: continuous training is essential not only for Municipal Energy Managers but also for local leadership teams; the role of the Municipal Energy Manager involves a wide range of responsibilities, justifying the need for a permanent position and clear regulations necessary to ensure the stability of this role. For smaller municipalities, outsourcing or sharing the service can be an effective solution. The need for effective communication between all administrative levels was also emphasised for the successful implementation of energy efficiency measures.
Conclusion
The final conference of the MENERGERS project marked an important moment of reflection and learning while also serving as a starting point for new initiatives in local energy transition. The project demonstrated that, through international collaboration, partnerships and the active involvement of municipalities, sustainable energy management models can be built, tailored to the real needs of communities. But the most important takeaway might be the shared goal of all project partners to continue efforts in supporting the activity of Municipal Energy Managers, leading the way to Climate Neutrality at the local level, even beyond the MENERGERS project lifespan.
”As the coordinator of the project, the National Trust EcoFund (NTEF) is very grateful to have had the opportunity to bring the MENERGERS project to life and for the excellent work and collaboration between the partners. The project provided a very important and needed exchange of experience between energy management experts from Bulgaria and Romania, which, together with the project outputs, provides a strong ground to build on for the topic of municipal energy management in our future work.”
Kamelia Georgieva – Senior Expert