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Serbia introduces the energy management system in local self-governments

The inception seminar titled “Establishment of the energy management system in units of local self-government“, organized by the Ministry of Mining and Energy (MME) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), held on 11 April 2016 in the premises of the MP’s Club and presenting the UNDP/GEF project „Removing Barriers to Promote and Support the Energy Management System in Serbia“ thus initiating the process of operational introduction of the energy management system in local self-governments.

The seminar was opened by the Assistant Mini9ster of Mining and Energy, professor Miloš Banjac, who emphasised that the energy management system has a key role in implementing energy efficiency policies as defined by the Law on Efficient Use of Energy and in fulfilling energy savings commitments which Serbia has undertaken as a member of the Energy Community. The seminar is a preparatory activity for the beginning of introducing the energy management system in units of local self-government on the basis of the Law on Efficient Use of Energy and recently adopted by-laws regulating this issue in more detail. According to the Law, units of local self-government with populations exceeding 20,000 are mandatory reporting entities of the energy management system, meaning that

they are obliged to appoint the necessary number of energy managers, adopt energy efficiency plans and programs, implement energy efficiency measures, submit annual reports on primary energy consumption and achieve the targets for energy savings as prescribed by the Decree on determining the annual energy saving targets.

Preparatory activities which included the development of the legal framework and raising of institutional capacities for implementation of the energy management system in Serbia have been implemented in the period from 2009 – 2016 with the support of the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the continuation of support to local self-government shall be provided within the UNDP/GEF project. In his introductory address to seminar participants the JICA representative, Mr. Ryohei Anzai, emphasised the cooperation between MME and UNDP.

The seminar was also addressed by the Dean of the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Professor Radivoje Mitrović, explaining that the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering in Belgrade has been authorized by the Ministry to deliver theoretical and practical training of energy managers and authorized energy advisors in line with the Law and relevant by-laws regulating this field. Professor Mitrović stressed the significance of the donation by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA)in form of equipment and measuring systems for equipping special laboratories at the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering which will be used for practical training of energy managers.

Assistant Minister, Miloš Banjac, with his associates presented in detail the basic components of the system and the obligations of the units of local self-government resulting from the system. Professor Banjac stressed that all necessary pre-requisites have been fulfilled to start the introduction of the system since all the necessary by-laws have been adopted. The objectives of introducing the system are to achieve energy savings and associated costs for energy in the sector of public consumption and to regularly report of such developments to the Ministry, as the institution in charge of developing energy policies and to contribute to achieving the overall goals of energy savings to which Serbia has committed itself as member of the Energy Community.

Head of the Energy Management Group, Vesna Rodić, in her presentation explained in detail the organizational structure of energy management, which legal persons are mandatory reporting entities and what their tasks are, while the UNDP coordinator, Dragan Urošević, presented guidelines for development of annual reports on achieving savings targets and the manner of filling in the formats used for submitting data.

The UNDP/GEF project was presented by Maja Matejić, the Energy Portfolio Manager of UNDP, presenting the project implemented jointly by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Ministry of Mining and Energy, funded by the Global Environmental Facility (GEF) and the UNDP with

USD 2.5 million. The purpose of this Project, which is to last until December 2020, is to increase investments in energy efficiency of public buildings and utility services, and through good management to improve their energy and cost efficiency. The project document and the Letter of Agreement on joint implementation of the project between the Ministry of Mining and Energy on behalf of the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the UNDP were signed in October 2015. It is planned that at least 30m municipalities will be supported in implementing their legal obligation to introduce the energy management system and the accompanying information system. The project also includes a grant of half a million USD for co-financing the energy efficiency project in ten municipalities. The grant shall be combined with the resources of the Budget Fund and shall be implemented by the MME in cooperation with the UNDP. Apart from this, the project shall include continued activities aimed at improving the legislative framework and raising capacities at central and local level to implement energy management.

The head of the Division for Energy Efficiency, Antonela Solujić, presented the recently adopted Public Call of the Ministry of Mining and Energy for the award of grants from the Budget Fund for Improvement of EE in order to provide financing of projects in the field of efficient use of energy in 2016 in units of local self-government. Ms Solujić explained which types of projects are qualified to apply for funding, the requirements and manner in which the local self-governments should apply for the award of grant funds.