Užice, Kruševac and Paraćin have received certificates from the European Energy Award – EEA association, the international energy management system applied in more than 1,700 municipalities and cities. Vrbas is on track to join them, but it has only obtained a European Energy Award pioneer status so far.
The Ministry of Mining and Energy awarded certificates under European Energy Award Serbia at the Swiss conference Support for Energy Management in Municipalities – Energy Crisis Management.
Under the Energy Efficiency and Energy Management in Municipalities project, implemented through Swiss-Serbian bilateral cooperation, experiences and tools from EEA’s framework were used for the first time in four Serbian cities and municipalities.
EEA standards were applied in spatial planning for heat energy supply, environmentally responsible behavior among employees, and in energy sector communication strategy.
Through the project, grants were received for the energy reconstruction of ten schools and four kindergartens.
The project enabled the fulfilment of local authorities’ legal obligations and capacity building in pilot cities and municipalities: Užice, Kruševac, Paraćin and Vrbas.
All local authorities with more than 20,000 inhabitants must introduce an energy management system that includes structured collection and monitoring of energy consumption data and planning measures to achieve savings and reporting.
The energy management system is one of the key instruments for Serbia to achieve its national goals for energy efficiency.
The EEA is an international energy management system applied in more than 1,700 municipalities and cities with more than 70 million inhabitants. The rules cover six areas: development and spatial planning strategies, municipal buildings and facilities, supply and disposal, mobility, internal organization and communication and cooperation.
The renovation brought annual savings of RSD 21 million
Director of the Swiss Cooperation Office in Serbia, Richard Colley, said there is no alternative for the green transition and reiterated his country’s commitment to the goal through additional bilateral aid of EUR 22 million.
According to Assistant Minister of Mining and Energy Milan Macura, energy renovation of 14 schools and kindergartens is expected to save more than 3,500 MWh per year, which at current prices is about RSD 21 million dinars (EUR 180,000). The implementation of EEA’s standards has raised the Serbian energy management system to a new level, Macura added.
Source : Balkan Green Energy News
