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USING MUNICIPALITIES TO DISSEMINATE ENERGY EFFICIENCY
(Total cost US$ 1,230,000; requested GEF funding US$ 413,000)
OBJECTIVES
(a) To develop and implement a municipal network to disseminate information on energy efficiency at the municipal level;
(b) To create an Energy and Environment Office (EEO) within Municipal Administration to develop and implement programs for energy efficiency and environmental protection;
(c) To coordinate the activities at the EEOs with national, regional, and network activities;
(d) To transfer the experiences gained from the energy efficiency demonstration projects in Gabrovo to municipalities throughout Bulgaria.
DESCRIPTION
15. A municipal energy network will be built with the purpose to disseminate information on energy efficiency at the municipal level. The network will serve as the focal point for municipal networking throughout Bulgaria, through newsletters, email and conferences/workshops. The 10 municipalities with which US AID is currently working (include. Gabrovo) will be the first members of the Network. The Network will be expanded to 20 additional municipalities by the end of the fifth year. Although project activities will be focused in Gabrovo, the Network will serve as the vehicle for disseminating project results to other municipalities to stimulate similar activities there.
16. The focal point of the Network will be the Demonstration Zone Support Office (DZSO) which will be established and located administratively within EnEffect in Sofia. The DZ Support Office will transmit the experience obtained in Gabrovo to the national government. It will coordinate the Network activities with the nine new regional energy centres, under the direction of the COE, and with the PHARE program that is supporting the development of energy programs in two of the new regional centres: Lovech (which includes Gabrovo) and Haskovo.
17. The Demonstration Zone Support Office will support the creation of Energy and Environment Office (EEO) within the Municipal Administration initially in Gabrovo and then in the other municipalities of the Network. The EEOs will be mechanisms for developing and implementing model energy efficiency activities and will take the lead in municipal capacity building and dissemination activities; training and education activities (See Subproject 2), and financing activities (See Subproject 3). The EEOs will identify energy- and cost-saving opportunities in municipal operations. These activities will fill a gap in the existing national institutional network on energy efficiency and the environment.
18. The Gabrovo EEO, working with the Support Office and other municipalities, will prepare a model energy policy and model energy legislation for a Bulgarian municipality. The model policy and legislation will review the existing policy and legislation at both the municipal and national level that affect the realization of energy efficient and environmental goals. The review will include an examination of the policies and legislation affecting municipalities in other countries. Based upon this review, a draft proposal for model policies and legislation will be prepared. The draft will include a description of the anticipated costs and benefits of the model proposals. The draft will be circulated for comment to other Bulgarian municipalities, to national organizations, and to those leading similar efforts in other countries. The comments will be used to prepare a revised document that will be used to encourage local energy efficiency reforms.
19. This project provides for institution building at the local and regional level, achieving common benefits from the development of CO2 emission abatement programs. The local government in Gabrovo has already embraced energy efficiency as a strategic target and has appointed experts on energy efficiency and the environment in the municipal administration. This unique leadership for Bulgaria will be promoted and disseminated in other municipalities.
Transaction Barriers
(a) Gaps in municipal policies and legislation in the areas of energy efficiency and the mitigation of GHG emissions.
(b) Lack of capacity and institutional background in managing local and regional energy efficiency and environmental programs.
(c) Insufficiently developed network for coordination of energy efficiency and environmental experiences among municipalities.
Outcomes
(a) In the first year, a Support Office will be created in Sofia and an EEO in Gabrovo. Working together, they will develop the technical and institutional capability to design, obtain financing, implement, administer, and evaluate municipal programs.
(b) The expansion of EEOs to 10 municipalities by the end of the third year and to 20 additional municipalities by the end of the fifth year. The creation of a municipal energy network to disseminate information from the lessons learned in Gabrovo and to establish the prerequisites for initiating activities in new EEOs.
(c) The development of better technical and institutional capability within Bulgarian municipalities, supported by guidelines and training material, model statutes, and training programs.
(d) The creation of a workable network will tie together activities at the national, regional, and municipal levels.
Project Description
Training and Education
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