::: Tools to Use
Natural Common Goods
TOOL :: PRIME (Private Investments Move Ecopower)
Description of the initiative and available tools
The PRIME project promotes participatory sustainable energy projects in public buildings. The necessary investments needed for projects involving Rational Use of Energy (RUE) and/or Renewable Energy Sources (RES) in public buildings are raised using private capital from citizens and local stakeholders.
PRIME develops practical and adaptable models for reducing CO2 emissions from public buildings. The flexibility of the tools means that they can be used by cities and towns across Europe, thus avoiding the costs for developing strategies on their own. An easy-to-implement action package, including best practice examples and tried and tested approaches, contributes to lowering the cost of implementing RES and RUE projects for municipalities.
PRIME tools are:
- Three Step Approach and Guide
- Quick & Easy Economic Tool
- Spreadsheets for cost assessment and cost-benefit analysis
- Model concepts and contracts
- Motivation and Communication tools
Where to find more information?
www.prime-ecopower.net
Climate Alliance, Dr Dag Schulze, Tel 
+49-69-717139-24
TOOL :: COGEN Challenge
Description of the initiative and available tools
COGEN Challenge aims at enhancing local and regional capacity for successful development of small-scale and micro-cogeneration projects up to an electrical capacity of 1 megawatt. It supports the transition of Europe's energy system towards high-efficiency and low-carbon electricity. At the end of a campaign (2007) a database shall present at least 1000 best practice examples.
The tools & support section of the website offers
- Basic guide on small-scale cogeneration
- Toolbox: how to develop own projects
- Directory with suppliers and developers
- Regional facilities on specific support points in Belgium, Germany, France, Spain, Austria and Slovenia
- Country fact sheets (series of 25 Country fact sheets, which provide specific information relevant to small-scale cogeneration in individual European countries)
Where to find more information?
Climate Alliance, Dr Dag Schulze , Tel: +49-69-717139-24
TOOL :: BELIEF – Building in Europe Local Intelligent Energy Forums
Short description of the initiative:
BELIEF will promote the Sustainable Energy Communities concept at European scale, setting up Local Intelligent Energy Forums in 20 communities from 11 European countries, including representatives from New Member States and Candidate Countries.
Each community will involve relevant local stakeholders. Together, they will prepare a Sustainable Energy Action Plan in line with an investment/financial plan containing sufficient economic resources to implement their local initiatives and activities.
Main objectives
- Setting up Local Intelligent Energy Forums in 20 European communities
- Formalising methodologies and preparing tools
- Improving capacity building of the 20 BELIEF communities involved
- Disseminating information, shining examples, results, methodologies and tools towards European local authorities focussing on New Member States and Candidate Countries
Expected results
- Creating a group of local EU pioneers showing new ways for the future
- Consolidating (and in some ways inventing), a EU replicable concept in line with the EU priorities on energy, sustainability, competitiveness and innovation
- Using more advanced experiences to provide knowledge and know-how to the less advanced communities via the exchange of good practice
- Disseminating information and methodologies widely throughout Europe, demonstrating that new ways can be generalised everywhere
- Significantly improving the existing levels of energy efficiency and use of RES in BELIEF communities thus bringing together local stakeholders and facilitating the way forward for larger scale investments
Where to find more information?
Availability
- BELIEF is preparing the ground for a larger dissemination of the Sustainable Energy Communities concept in European local authorities. Consequently, the developed tools and methodologies (the shining examples, the recommendation guide, etc.) are intended to be used broadly thus available for all.
- To receive the shining examples, the recommendation guide, please contact jpvallar@energie-cites.org
TOOL :: Biofuels Cities - European Partnership for biofuel innovation at the local level
Description of the initiative
Biofuel Cities is a project that provides a platform for biofuel stakeholders in the EU25. It will integrate European research and pilot application of biofuels in European local governments. The project aims to accelerate the sustainable market introduction of biofuels and energy-efficient vehicles based on local sustainable mobility policies, and stimulate continued market penetration of biofuels through identifying strategic Research & Development needs and policy development.
Biofuel Cities will facilitate information & exchange through the “Biofuel Cities European Partnership”, a network open to all stakeholders. The Partnership’s members will be invited to use of a broad range of services and tools: Series of workshops, roundtables and study tours, guides and publications, and a web centre that will offer online discussion forums, interactive directories of biofuels projects, policies and partners, an interactive library & resource centre, and news channels. Furthermore, the Partnership Members will on demand be supported with information and exchange infrastructure, e.g. to set up online discussion on chosen topics, in chosen languages etc.
Launch date for the Partnership and web centre: First half 2007
Languages: English, selected information and services in German, French, Polish. Invitation to interact with others in any of the EU25 languages
Where to find more information?
Biofuels or +49 761 36 89 20
Also supports the AC number 6 and 10
TOOL :: RUSE – Improving energy efficiency through structural funds
Short description of the initiative
The RUSE operation aims at improving the use of Structural Funds and other financial resources on sustainable energy issues by municipalities and other stakeholders in charge of urban development issues in the New Member States and Candidate countries.
Objectives:
- Making municipalities and related bodies in New Member States more aware of existing structural fund -related experiences
- Improving capacity building on energy issues in both individual bodies (municipalities) and collective structures (city networks, agencies)
- Supporting municipalities to design projects in a sustainable manner and enabling them to submit successful proposals in particular under ERDF programmes
- Promoting the integration of energy issues from the point of view of energy demand and the promotion of renewable energy
Via the following tools:
- Dissemination of good practice (database)
- Exchange of experience and knowledge (joint seminars, study tours, hosting staff)
- Creation of a network of expertise
- Provision of information services ("help desks", national workshops) in the participating countries
Where to find more information?
www.ruse-europe.org
Sign up for a RUSE newsletter
Also supports AC number 1 (1.2, 1,5) and 4 (4.3)
TOOL :: DISPLAY – Energy Efficiency Labelling for Public Buildings
Short description of the initiative
The European Display™ Campaign is a voluntary scheme designed by energy experts from 20 European towns and cities. It encourages local governments to publicly display the energy and environmental performances of their public buildings using the same energy label that is used for household appliances.
The Campaign offers an online tool that enables local governments to:
- Calculate energy, water and CO2 consumption of their buildings
- Classify buildings, from A to G, according to a similar scale used for household electrical appliances,
- Display results within public buildings using the Display voluntary label (poster).
The calculation tool also enables local governments to:
- Create a system for energy management of buildings; assess the performance of each building
- Compare, year by year, the performances of a building in terms of energy consumption, CO2 emissions and water consumption and to measure progress,
- Compare performances of their buildings with other European municipalities.
Where to find more information?
Availability
The Display tools are available for all municipalities interested. However, the tools are free for Energie-Cites members. Energie-Cites has a special offer for the Aalborg Commitments signatories to join the Display Campaign with half a price.
For further information please contact Mr Ian Turner
Also supports the commitments 1, 4, 5 and 10.
