The Norwegian Association of Local and Regional Municipalities in Norway (KS) collaborates with the Union of Bulgarian Black Sea Local Authorities (UBBSLA) on Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy and Reduction of Greenhouse Gases.
02/03/2010
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The Bulgarian municipalities of Bourgas, Varna and Dobrich are participating in the project. Norwegian municipalities from Sør-Østerdalen and Arendal will also contribute to the project.
The objective is to build capacity on energy and climate planning in municipalities on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast, and develop Energy and Climate Plans based on the experience from such work in Norwegian municipalities.
Specific outputs from the project will, besides development of Energy and Climate Plans in Varna, Dobrich and Bourgas, be refurbishment of one pilot building in each city to demonstrate the use of energy efficiency measures and renewable energy. Energy audits will be carried out in selected buildings, and Energy Monitoring Systems installed. A computer programme for local energy planning has been introduced to the cities, and the Norwegian Guidelines for Energy and Climate Planning have been translated into Bulgarian as a support to the Bulgarian municipalities on their development of Energy and Climate Plans.
A kick-off meeting was held in Bulgaria in June 2009, the first workshop on energy- and climate planning was held in October 2009, and the second workshop was organised in Varna in January 2010 with more than 50 participants from the region.
Varna, Bourgas and Dobrich have all signed agreements with the EU on the initiative “Covenant of Mayors”. By signing, the municipalities have agreed to implement certain measures. Therefore, this project which receives EUR 900.000 in financial support from the Norwegian Cooperation Programme with Bulgaria, is also a support to the Bulgarian municipalities’ follow-up on the “Covenant of Mayors”.
KS collaborates with the Norwegian company New Energy Performance AS (NEPAS), on the implementation of the project.