Municipal energy management for sustainable climate financing

Goals

As a means to produce quality energy and climate action plans in Bulgaria, the project develops a model for systematic municipal energy management. By enabling authorities to collect and make use of reliable, energy-related data, the introduction of this model contributes to the quality implementation of local long-term energy and climate strategies as well as to the attraction of private investors.

Project content and Measures

Recognizing the lack of systematic energy management systems in Bulgarian municipalities, the project works together with several partners. The local NGO EnEffect developed an energy management tool box that allows municipalities to develop energy management systems that comply with internationally recognized standards. Making use of the tools ensures the provision of reliable, energy-related data, enabling high-quality energy analyses, project monitoring, and improved planning processes.

View on houses and landscape; photo: Foundation Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect

This, in turn, will increase the potential to attract financing for energy and climate projects, especially with regards to innovative financial schemes such as Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) services, but also potentially attracting investments from the national Energy Savings Obligation Scheme. Among the project partners is also the Bulgarian National Trust Eco Fund. Their aim is to improve the environmental impacts of its investments.

View on Bulgarian street, photo: Center for Energy Efficiency EnEffect

To this end, EcoTrust is developing a financing scheme that requires both the implementation and monitoring of energy management practices from investees. They thus encourage the implementation of the newly developed energy management systems.