Local Energy Efficiency Platform

Balkan Kapital has joined with UK based Catalys Group in developing a National Energy Agency plan for BiH. The project will establish a National Agency that will promote local energy security through; the establishment of Local Energy Agencies (LEA) with transparent governance; practical Strategic Energy Action Plans (SEAPs); and funding models that deliver priority energy developments. The project will promote actions that focus development in those areas that deliver the greatest benefit to local communities and economies and will do so more quickly than any of the alternatives currently deployed. In essence, the project will form a bridge between current aspirational objectives in this field and existing funding and investment bodies who seek transparent, sustainable and projects/investments. The “bottom-up” approach we use is particularly suited to the political make-up and infrastructure of BiH. It offers a real and immediate alternative to making significant progress in relation to Energy Efficiency and Security rather than awaiting a “break-through” at State level.

Scope

The project will address all aspects of energy efficiency and generation at the local level, as per the LEA approach promoted by the Intelligent Energy Europe (IEE) programme. The project is not simply focused on Energy Efficiency, but equally on facilitating alternative sources of local generation and ultimately sourcing the appropriate funding on behalf of the municipalities The Agency will be established at the BiH level initially, working on a pilot basis to demonstrate the approach. This approach will accelerate the process of investment from public and private sectors and accordingly accelerate the achievement of accession obligations, carbon reduction targets and greater energy security. The project has this broad focus, as future energy security requires both energy efficiency and renewable generation issues to be thoroughly considered and addressed. It appears there are a number of players in this field all of whom have specific (limited) parameters and thus the Gap Analysis shows a requirement for a “cradle to grave” approach by one body (clearly working with the existing players as appropriate), providing “Turn key” solutions. Specifically, one of our key objectives is to create a “pipeline” of professionally developed project initiatives for the WBIF Energy Sector that meet all the necessary criteria and thus “accelerate” the process and progress of energy efficient investment.