client
(EBRD/BERD) European Bank of Reconstruction and development
projeCt Description
The Western Balkans Regional Energy Efficiency Programme (REEP) supports energy efficiency (EE) projects in the Western Balkan countries with a focus on the public sector. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) was granted funding for implementing REEP under the European Union (EU) Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF). EBRD was to use the funding to continue its activities to support sustainable energy initiatives in the Western Balkans. Based on a pragmatic operational and financing approach, the EBRD’s WBIF-funded undertaking consisted of the following three core components:
- Policy dialog to support the development of an enabling environment for sustainable energy through both ESCO operations and non-ESCO initiatives;
- Technical assistance and grants to support project design and implementation and related capacity development; and
- Financing instruments aimed at facilitating energy efficiency or renewable energy investments based on clear estimates of energy savings and carbon emission reductions.
As one of the three core components, the policy dialog was to be carried out to help develop an enabling legal framework governing ESCO-based energy efficiency projects.
Highlights
Econoler, in a consortium with GFA from Germany, was mandated by EBRD to implement a technical assistance program to help Serbia and Montenegro conduct a policy dialog intended to create an enabling environment for developing an active and sustainable ESCO market. This assignment involved performing the following tasks:
- Task 1: Identify and review relevant primary and secondary legislation and recommend amendments/options to enable Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) structures to meet the regulatory criteria.
- Task 2: Provide support to national inter-agency working groups in the Western Balkan (WB) countries, examining legal and administrative issues to help them evaluate the recommended options.
- Task 3: Provide national working groups in the WB with support for evaluating and approving the drafted legal documents and contract templates.
- Task 4: Support capacity-building and awareness-raising efforts associated with the feasible ESCO/EPC projects identified and related procedures.
- Task 5: Cooperate on the ESCO technical assistance consultancy assignment and with other stakeholders.
The work accomplished by Econoler and GFA has resulted in the establishment of the institutional frameworks and regulations needed to enable the launching of tenders for EE projects to be implemented by ESCOs using the EPC approach. The standard documents, such as the request for proposals, EPC contracts, measurement and verification (M&V) protocols and implementation road map, were also developed in fulfillment of this assignment.