Project Budget: 717,904.35 euros
Project Duration: 18 months
Project Partners:
- Lead Partner (LP) – Municipality of Tuzi
- Project Partner 2 – Confindustria Bari e Barletta-Andria-Trani
- Project Partner 3 – Municipality of Mirabello
- Project Partner 4 – Municipality of Tirana
General Objective
The general objective of the project is to contribute to improving energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy sources by developing “local energy communities” (LECs) that cooperate with municipalities (public-private partnerships), promoting the creation of sustainable municipal models based on local actions inspired by changes in citizens’ daily behavior.
LEC means a “formed group of users” to promote and manage renewable energy in accordance with the requirements of the local community.
Specific Objective
The specific objective is to create LECs to implement a joint cross-border action plan (the “Pact of Municipalities”) with the active participation of energy users, finalized to achieve energy efficiency in a sustainable and ethical manner linked to the needs of the territory.
Common Goal
The common goal is to educate local consumers on how to save energy.
Project Strategy
The project strategy will be based on the active involvement of citizens in the energy efficiency process, mainly in public buildings/industrial parks identified in 4 municipalities, aiming to manage and use energy in public buildings, but primarily through a process of contamination to reproduce energy efficiency systems in their homes/workplaces. The main target audience is local communities, defined as gatherings of citizens, municipalities, and local organizations/SMEs.
Project Results
The project result will consist of the adoption of a joint action plan for energy efficiency and sustainable energy production in the 4 target municipalities of Tuzi, Tirana, Mirabello, and Bari, based on the “local energy communities” (LECs) model.
The joint action plan will be defined and adopted thanks to the establishment of 4 local energy communities (LECs), public-private partnerships (municipalities, citizens, and SMEs), which will contribute to the creation and implementation of 4 pilot projects consisting of energy efficiency interventions in public buildings and industrial parks identified in the target areas.
Specific Goals of the Project
- To contribute to the development of sustainable municipal models through the creation of sustainable local energy communities (LECs).
- To promote energy efficiency through a cross-border action plan for sustainable energy based on the LEC model.
- To demonstrate improvements in energy efficiency through LEC pilot projects “Energy efficiency in a sustainable and ethical manner.”
Main Project Results
- 4 established sustainable local energy communities (LECs): Work Package T1 (WPT1)
- 1 Joint Plan for Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy Production: Work Package T2 (WPT2)
- 4 LEC pilot projects: Work Package T3 (WPT3)
4 Sustainable Local Energy Communities (LECs) (Work Package T1, WPT1)
The main result of Work Package 1 (WPT1) is the creation of 4 sustainable local energy communities (LECs) with the aim to contribute to the development and application of sustainable municipal models that should contribute to the European objective 20-20-20 (Climate and Energy Package, EU).
The results of these analyses will be discussed at the local level through the organization of living labs involving local actors in the 4 target areas (public and private), to identify actions/solutions that meet the local needs and “boundaries” of the target areas of the project.
The results of the living labs will be shared at a cross-border level to achieve the definition of a “common model” of a sustainable municipality based on the active participation of citizens/users.
1 Joint Plan for Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Energy Production (Work Package T2, WPT2)
The action plan will be implemented according to the LEC model and European guidelines “How to develop a Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP),” adopted by the EU-Covenant of Mayors. The action plan will be based on a joint session addressing the 4 municipalities/target areas and a specific part for each municipality/target area. The leader of this work package (WPL) will send the draft action plan to all partners. Each partner will organize local workshops to share “action plans,” propose any amendments, and identify local-level actions.
4 Pilot Projects (Work Package T3, WPT3)
Four pilot projects will be implemented:
- Municipality of Tuzi (LP) will replace wooden windows with aluminum joinery and provide the installation of hexagonal hardware from PVC with steel reinforcements and thermal insulation glass at “25th May” High School.
- Confindustria (P2) will act in the Metropolitan City of Bari and activate a “technology service” to promote energy efficiency processes for owners and operators of public infrastructure.
- Municipality of Mirabello (P3) will replace the existing heating system with 2 new condensing cascade boilers at G. Nebbia Primary School.
- Municipality of Tirana (P4) will replace the heating system in 10 public buildings, creating a multifunctional space for creativity and the youth community using solar panels.