CREATION OF ONE-STOP-SHOP TO BOOST INVESTMENT IN ENERGY EFFICIENCY AS A RESULT OF H2020 CITYNVEST ACTIVITIES IN THE RHODOPE REGION, BULGARIA

References: 17th International Multidisciplinary Scientific GeoConference SGEM 2017, www.sgem.org, SGEM2017 Conference Proceedings, ISBN 978-619-7408-11-9 / ISSN 1314-2704, 29 June - 5 July, 2017, Vol. 17, Issue 54, 261-266 pp, DOI: 10.5593/sgem2017/54/S23.034

ABSTRACT

The project focuses on the creation of a structure specifically designed to answer the needs of energy efficiency investment financing in the Rhodope Region of Bulgaria. The structure Rhodoshop aims to promote innovative retrofit financing and operational models tailored to local conditions. Rhodoshop activities are based on the concept of a one-stop-shop that provides technical, economic, legal and administrative expertise to develop investment project pipelines for building and street lighting retrofitting in the region. The operational model of the structure is based on the experience of Renowatt, Liege Province, Belgium, exchanged within the CITYnvest project, financed through Horizon2020 Research and Innovation Programme of EU.
The structure addresses the specific challenges faced by public authorities in several directions: the complexity of such projects, the need to identify suitable financing options and the lack of human resources with the necessary competencies to identify and evaluate sustainable energy projects and to negotiate with financiers on investment financial plans. Six municipalities committed to the establishment of one-stop-shop taking over the administrative and organizational burden for successfully launching sustainable energy projects and ensuring conditions for project bundling in order to increase project size and thus get better financial terms. The participating municipalities have adopted sustainable energy issues as local policy priorities and have committed to energy savings and CO2 reduction targets in their Sustainable Energy Action Plans or other related municipal programmes.
As a result of the pilot 3-year phase of structure operation it is expected to mobilize over 13 million Euro investments for energy efficiency improvements in buildings and street lighting systems in 46 settlements within the participating municipalities from the Rhodope Region associated with 8,8 GWh/year energy savings.

Keywords: energy efficiency financing, operational models, local authorities