Energy Efficiency Strategy to Mitigate Greenhouse Gas Emissions

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  • Project details

  • Implementing Agency:
    UNDP
    Implementing Agency and Partnering Organizations:
    EnEffect, Bulgarian government, City of Gabrovo
    Summary:

    This project was intended to introduce practices at the municipality level that overcome barriers to improved energy efficiency and reduced emissions of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and other environmental pollutants.

    Project Components:
    • Establishment of a formal Municipal Energy Efficiency Network (MEEN) to support the incorporation of energy efficiency programmes into public policy and municipal strategies.
    • Implementation of seven demonstration projects (a hospital, school, residential building, industrial building, administrative building, street lighting system, power plant) from which other municipalities were able to learn and design similar projects.
    • Establishment of thirty-nine Energy Efficiency Offices (EEOs).
    • Training seminars and education programmes established for municipal employees and local businesses to address key issues and barriers to energy efficiency (as identified by EEO review).
    • Installation of energy-efficient streetlights (including review of legal framework in relation to street lighting).
    • Establishment of an information system on energy consumption in municipalities to assist municipalities in monitoring their energy consumption.
    • Completion of forty energy efficient retrofit projects (including street lighting, one hospital and several schools).
    • Knowledge and information sharing of the retrofit project processes and results, including training sessions for municipal employees and the establishment or regional knowledge-sharing networks.  
    • Identification of new demonstration zones in other MEEN municipalities. 
    • Incorporation of energy efficiency techniques into public and municipal programmes.
    •  Establishment of seminars, workshops and annual conferences to encourage knowledge sharing and on-going capacity building. 
    Expected Outputs:
    • 15,720 tons of CO2 emissions saved annually.
    • 156 municipalities participate in MEEN EcoEnergy (representing 68% of the Bulgarian population).
    • Established integration of MEEN initiatives into national and municipal policies and strategies.
    • Demonstration projects in Gabrovo led to 37 other municipalities developing similar efficiency programmes.
    • 39 operational efficiency offices for on-going evaluation, monitoring and capacity-building programmes. 
    • 18 municipalities have adopted street lighting renovation projects.
    • Information system established and operational in 39 municipalities - a further 64 municipalities have received training on the system.
    • Training sessions for municipal experts have resulted in the development of 25 new building retrofit projects.
    • 23 trainers have been trained through local programmes.
    • Local petty crime (graffiti, vandalism) and accidents reported to have dropped due to increased pride in environment and improved street lighting.
    • More than 1,000 people have participated in EcoEnergy conferences, seminars and workshops.
    Project Status:
    Complete
    Project Details
    Funding Source:
    GEF-Trust Fund
    Cofinancing Total:
    US$3,918,000