On March 31, Ivano-Frankivsk hosted the conference “Implementation of the Energy Management System — a Municipal Energy Security Tool” presenting the launch of the project “Cooperation for the Implementation of Energy Management Systems in Municipalities of the Ivano-Frankivsk, Chernivtsi and Zakarpattia Oblasts”.
The project is implemented by the Prykarpattia Municipal Development Agency as part of the cooperation between Ukrainian municipalities and the Danish municipality of Guldborgsund. This cooperation is developed with the support of U-LEAD’s initiative “Bridges of Trust” which helps build international partnerships between the municipalities of Ukraine and the EU.
As was noted by Olena Tomniuk, Deputy Director of the U-LEAD with Europe Programme, the resilience of municipalities and their energy security are extremely important in such a difficult time for Ukraine. The European Union and other international partners continue to emphasise the key role of municipalities in overcoming the critical consequences of Russian aggression, as well as in the recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine.
“During the next six months, 9 municipalities from three oblasts will receive support in the development and implementation of energy management systems that will allow them to effectively manage and monitor consumption.”
Such systems will be introduced in the municipalities of Horodenka, Halych and Dolyna of the Ivano-Frankivsk oblast, the municipalities of Hlyboka, Novoselytsia and Khotyn of the Chernivtsi oblast and the municipalities of Horinchovo, Svaliava and Yasinia of the Zakarpattia oblast. Their introduction involves the training of municipal energy managers, the development of local energy efficiency programmes, the inventory of CO2 emissions and the development of measures to reduce them, as well as the modelling of energy balances of territories based on the changing situation.
“We will achieve more efficient use of energy, which will reduce the burden on the municipal budget. Moreover, the implementation of such a system should go hand in hand with a reduction in consumption and a transition to renewable energy sources,” said Tetiana Danyliv, Project Manager.
According to Ihor Melnychuk, Executive Director of the Prykarpattia Municipal Development Agency, a local association of local self-government bodies, building a new model based on the decentralisation of the energy sector is becoming more and more relevant both for Ukrainian municipalities and for foreign friends and partners.
“Back in the spring of 2022, we understood that the winter would be the most difficult in the entire existence of our state. The people self-organised and were mentally prepared, ultimately surviving it without panic. However, this is not the last winter, and we need to start considering and modelling the future now, taking into account all the challenges of the ongoing war. Today, more than 30% of the seven-year budget of the European Union is directed to the Green Deal Policy (energy). Our agenda includes victory, reconstruction and recovery, energy decentralisation and energy management, modernisation of municipal infrastructure and development of renewable sources,” he said.
As part of the workshop, the participating municipalities signed a resolution on the creation of a network of energy-sustainable municipalities.