Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
No. 41
Spring 2013
The hidden potential of public-private partnerships p.5 Post-carbon pioneers: Are you part of the eco-elite? Financing solutions of tomorrow p.12
p.9
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DOSSIER
www.energy-cities.eu
DOSSIER
Editorial
Energy Cities becomes the European Association of local authorities in energy transition
We have entered a new era in our history. The good news is that we have local resources all around us, just waiting to be rediscovered. Cities wasted or untapped heat sources are underground, in lakes and wastewater networks. Renewable energy sources such as biomass and biogas providing heat and electricity and many others represent a huge energy saving potential and our most important source of wealth. The sun, the wind and water are not our only resources. Citizens, with their visions and desires, the private sector with its flair for innovation and political decision-makers daring to make radical course changes also represent a priceless potential and a source of huge opportunities if properly mobilised at the local level. We are leaving a world of absolute globalisation to enter a world that advocates the relocation of many economic activities and promotes new production and consumption modes. Energy is at the heart of this massive change, as the energy transition is not only an economic transition but also a transition towards new lifestyles. By becoming the European Association of local authorities in energy transition, Energy Cities wishes to embody and promote such a change. It is the only way for Europe, which is arousing more and more scepticism, to become a land of hope for new generations again. This is why we have almost exclusively dedicated this issue - as well as our 30 proposals for the energy transition of cities and towns available online - to local initiatives that are today paving the way for tomorrow.
No massive heat supply from renewable energy sources is possible without active distribution networks. It is vital that cities lacking such facilities take another look at their existing underground infrastructures and explore the possibility of putting them to new uses. Geneva (Switzerland) has a network extending over dozens of kilometres of underground galleries and pipes aimed at conveying water from the lake to the various districts throughout the city in case of a conflict or fire. Part of this civil protection infrastructure is no longer required and can therefore be integrated into the citys energy planning strategy e.g. for installing underground heat pipes. Using such infrastructure, which include wastewater and stormwater sewers as well as underground systems, can significantly reduce renewable energy deployment costs, thus increasing their competitiveness. A word to the wise: go ahead and start discussing this with your colleagues from the urban planning, civil defence, wastewater and drinking water supply departments. Who knows what hidden treasures you may find!
CONTENTS
Benefitting from natural resources: the examples of Geneva, Paris, Brussels.......................... p.2-3 DOSSIER Rigas heat connection.............................................................................................................................................................. p.3 Sparkling ideas! Water management in Porto and Sams............................................................................p.4 The hidden potential of public-private partnerships...........................................................................................p.5 When decision-makers dare............................................................................................................................................... p.6-7 Successful renovation stories................................................................................................................................................p.7 The power of (extra)ordinary citizens..............................................................................................................................p.8 Post-carbon pioneers: Are you part of the eco-elite?...................................................................................p.9 Energy transition: Local authorities setting their own rules................................................................. p.10-11 Financing solutions of tomorrow.......................................................................................................................................p.12 Updates from the network.....................................................................................................................................................p.13 Publications........................................................................................................................................................................................p.14 Energy at the heart of the Franco-German partnership..................................................................................p.14
Contributors to this issue: the Energy Cities staff and members of the network Translation: Nathalie Fauchadour
Energy Cities | Secretariat 2, chemin de Palente F - 25000 Besanon Tel.: +33 381 65 36 80 Fax: +33 381 50 73 51 www.energy-cities.eu/info
Energy Cities | Brussels Office 1, Square de Mees B-1000 Brussels Tel.: +32 2 504 78 60 Fax: +32 2 504 78 61
Graphic design: www.tuttiquanti.net Printer: Imprimerie SIMON (ImprimVert) Printed on recycled paper N ISSN : 1256-6098 - Print run: 2500 copies Cover: Tutti Quanti / Shutterstock, Fotolia
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Shutterstock
More than 8,000 customers are connected to Rigas district heating system, all of which are equipped with automatic thermal substations. Since 2012, each building with a heat substation has been equipped with a telemetering system enabling remote heat consumption measurements to be taken (other data, such as cold and hot water as well as electricity, can be read in accordance with the clients needs). In Riga ICT accompanied a recent modernisation of CHP units, boiler houses and distribution pipelines. The latter has led to a 13% reduction in transfer losses in the city. More than 90% of the heat supplied is produced in high efficiency cogeneration mode. District energy is one of the many initiatives Riga is implementing to meet the ambitious CO2 emission reductions that its Mayor, Nils Uakovs, is committed to. Head of the Club of Covenant of Mayors Signatories in Latvia, Mr Uakovs is making Riga a frontrunner city in the region and beyond as he also exports the citys expertise abroad through decentralised co-operation. As a European Capital of Culture and host of Energy Cities Annual Rendezvous in 2014, the city will put even more emphasis on promoting its great achievements and know-how. www.riga.lv/en www.energy-cities.eu/-Annual-RendezVous-
Fotolia
A study by the Brussels Institute for Environment Management carried out in June 2012, entitled Systme dalimentation durable- Sustainable Food System*, listed the potentially arable surface areas available in the city of Brussels for market gardening, fruit growing and aquaponics, i.e. labour-intensive organic crops. Including waste lands, gardens, parks and flat roofs where cultivation is possible, we obtain a total arable area of 1,300 hectares and a potential of thousands of full-time jobs. According to those experimenting in food self-sufficiency, it is widely agreed that one hectare is required to feed one family on a predominantly vegetarian diet. These 1,300 hectares would, therefore, not be enough to feed the entire population of the city. Urban farming will never enable food selfsufficiency to be achieved in large cities
in view of the potentially arable surface areas. It could, however, become the most economical and profitable farming mode in terms of energy and transportation costs in a context of ever increasing fossil energy prices. Cities host the largest concentrations of both manpower and mouths to be fed, thus making this type of farming a significant source of jobs at European level. * http://wiki.opengreens.net/lib/exe/ fetch.php?media=ua:sad_rapport_ final_010812.pdf www.incredible-edible.info
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In 2013, as part of the recentlylaunched European Innovation Partnership on Water, Energy Cities member Vxj (Sweden) was given the opportunity to share its experience in the field with the Steering Group. http://ec.europa.eu/ environment/water/ innovationpartnership/ index_en.htm
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Product innovation, especially in the field of ICT-automated energy management systems such as smart metering or smart grids, is fast-moving. However, embedding these products into user-friendly solutions that can quickly be adopted by municipalities requires a good knowledge of local authorities realities. Process innovation consists in delivering sustainable energy goods and services to the end user in a new way. It accelerates the market uptake of innovative technologies and can generate significant (often around 20% or more) energy savings for end users at lower costs. Companies from various sectors are trying to achieve this by providing integrated, one-stopshop energy management solutions. For instance, with a well-managed energy services contract, the municipality can save on upfront investment (capital costs) by obtaining third-party financing and on maintenance costs (operational costs). In addition, it can reduce its transaction costs by dealing with just one supplier, while gaining additional technical and financial expertise. Innovative purchasing approaches are another beneficial dimension for municipalities. Public-private partnerships can generate creative business models which handle a fundamental flaw of the modern
unsustainable consumer economy: the more companies sell, the more they earn. Alternative business models focus on the service instead of the goods: a car, a building control system or a washing machine is not sold, but leased throughout its lifecycle by a service provider whose property it remains. Contracts are typically based on Companies the use of the product from various so called pay as you use systems sectors are encouraging business providing partners to provide as integrated, durable and efficient one-stop-shop a product as possible. These contracts can energy incentivise the colmanagement lection and reuse of waste products. solutions. We believe that Energy Cities can make a significant contribution to the development of these innovations required for change. The network and its members are happy to act as catalysts for the local energy transition in partnership with the private sector. Interested to know more or to collaborate? Contact Kristina Dely, Head of European Affairs at Energy Cities www.energy-cities.eu/kristina
The first step for keeping money at home or in the municipal wallet should remain the prevention and the correct management of energy consumption. This does not mean making any major investments in municipal assets or outsourcing them, but having an appropriate energy management system. Most municipalities lack the human capacity to run such a system, controlling consumption and installations, providing and evaluating energy consumption data. At the same time, a growing number of complete, increasingly customer-friendly and less time-consuming solutions are available. These are not only helpful for communicating a positive and responsible image of your municipality, but also for primarily generating revenue and answering questions like: What can I do with limited funds and scarce human capacities to achieve meaningful energy savings in the short and medium term? How can I access funds and pay them back from the cost savings achieved, without a great deal of risk?
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Diane Morel
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If we look at things statically (considering current resources) nothing will be done. But if we take a dynamic look, anything becomes possible. As Seneca said: It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare; it is because we do not dare that they are difficult. Follow Energy Cities political work closely on: www.energy-cities.eu/POSITIONS,10-
Brussels-Capital (Belgium) had one of Europes most energyhungry building stock a few years ago. Two calls for projects, each with a 7.5 million euro budget, made it possible to move from zero passive buildings in 2007 to over 200,000 m in 2012. Low energy use became a compulsory renovation standard in 2010.
Olivier Bruchez
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lia
Ville dIvanic-Grad
Bruxelles
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Ingrid Prikken is Project Manager at Involve. The charity organisation seeks, through both research and practice, to radically transform the relationship between citizens and their governments to better use the creativity, energy, knowledge, skills and resources of all. www.involve.org.uk
Myths and mistakes Mob rule. Decision-makers may have had negative experiences of engaging citizens when they were confronted with combative people. Yet, most people are polite and keen to have a civilised and informed discussion. Citizens cannot discuss complex issues. There are so many examples of engagement processes where groups of ordinary citizens engaged intelligently in complex topics. Engaging people in a meaningful way can have a positive impact on attitudes and behaviours. We may find that ordinary citizens are able to come up with ingenious solutions which may have eluded experts. Engagement is too expensive... unless the costs of not engaging are considered together with the costs of your project. Non-engagement may result in obstacles with rather serious consequences in terms of costs, both from a monetary (complaints procedures or legal costs) and non-monetary (negative impact on image or decrease in trust) point of view.
Overcoming the myths Focus on what unites citizens, not on what divides them. Start framing with what you have in common and map the strengths. Make it relevant to citizens, but do not assume that the incentives that work for one group can automatically be transferred to another. Find out what the entry point is for different types of people, who will have different attitudes and behaviours towards engaging with energy. Inspire citizens to engage. A powerful way of engaging citizens with transitioning to a low carbon future is to bring positive messages. Show the difference people are making, whether that is through storytelling, challenge prizes, or celebrating good practice And make it fun! Engaging citizens is not straightforward. There are many obstacles and areas of confusion. However, engaging citizens can ensure that public values are taken into account, develop a better understanding of complex issues, and create greater ownership for energy transition decisions. The key is to find that space where citizens are empowered to engage and where those in power demonstrate strong leadership and have the courage to step back and let things happen. More information about dispelling myths around engagement can be found in From Fairy Tale toReality: Dispelling the Myths around Citizen Engagement: www.involve.org.uk/from-fairytale-toreality/
Bielsko-Biala (Poland): Involving all local actors thanks to the ENGAGE campaign
The ENGAGE campaign is a great idea for getting the local community involved in climate protection projects by promoting the message that anyone can be a co-author of success. The artistic performances accompanying the awareness-raising activities in our city have brought an atmosphere of joy and hope, which has inspired thousands of people to take action, rather than scare them with discouraging visions of danger. Zbigniew Michniowski - Deputy Mayor of the City of Bielsko-Biaa, member of Energy Cities Board of Directors ENGAGE builds a sense of responsibility and encourages involvement through various activities. The local community is inspired by colourful posters of both well-known people and citizens who have publicly committed to support sustainable energy. Aneta Gut-Sulima Physics teacher
Urzd Miasta Bielsko-Biaa
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ECOHELPERS
CREATIVE CLASS
ECOELITE
Rodho | http://blorg.canalblog.com
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Member
Contribution to
www.energy-cities.eu
INFO
Munich, Germany
Member
Joachim Lorenz, Head of the Citys Department of Health and the Environment
Munichs city council adopted its new Action Programme for Climate Protection, IHKM (Integriertes Handlungsprogramm Klimaschutz in Mnchen). A budget of almost 63 million has been approved for the next two years, aiming for an annual CO2 reduction of 600,000 tonnes, as compared to 450,000 tonnes with the former programme. In 2008, the city set itself a CO2 reduction objective of 50% by 2030, based on 1990 levels. The programme includes a large panel of strategic and operational measures, which include thermal retrofitting, involvement of the private sector and an ambitious policy of the municipal energy utility Stadtwerke concerning the development of renewable energy sources. The German government has given the city a grant to hire nine Climate Managers. This is a mark of recognition for the city.
Dijon, France
Paolo da Reggio
gary718 | Shutterstock
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The success of the first Spanish renewable energy co-operative Som Energia may surpriseor not. In crisis-ridden Spain, there is a particular need for tapping unconventional financial sources. Som Energia, which is also being encouraged by Energy Cities member city Pamplona, sells and produces renewable electricity with relatively small-scale projects, set up close to where their members live. Joining requires a deposit
MLEI Development Assistance for 16 projects The Mobilising Local Energy Investment (MLEI) is the technical assistance facility managed by the European Commission. It helps local and regional authorities prepare high quality sustainable energy investment programmes, often relying on innovative financing schemes. Two Energy Cities members made use of the MLEI: the Croatian city of Zagreb and the English city of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Other beneficiaries are: Comune di Padova (IT), Region Ile-de-France (FR), Province of Limburg (BE), Municipality of Hengelo (NL), Municipality of Solrod (DK), City of Graz (AT) and Province of Huelva (ES). A new facility called ELENA-CEB has just been created in partnership with the European Commission. It will support local sustainable energy projects benefitting disadvantaged populations or regions. More information on financing mechanisms: http://ec.europa.eu/energy/intelligent/gettingfunds/project-development-assistance/index_ en.htm
Setting up financial structures dedicated to the energy transition Concrete proposals on:
Contribution to
www.energy-cities.eu
www.energy-cities.eu/ Rethinking-finance-ingeneral
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EU funding:
4,152 422
Looking for information on energy and territorial cohesion? Tired of surfing on hundreds of different websites? Check out Energy Cities one-of-a-kind on-line resource centre IMAGINE. www.energy-cities.eu/imagine Initiated in 2006, IMAGINE has progressively become a real platform for multi-actor dialogue.
On average, a citizen has reduced his/her annual CO2 emissions by
posters
5,838
participants
466 82
representing
posters
participants
1,803
559 94
representing
posters
participants
874
citizens monitored
12%
annual CO2 emissions of 109 European citizens*
organisations monitored
entities monitored
648 stakeholders
CO2 avoided
tonnes of
884
7,182
32,017
40,083
Organisations: private companies, firms, associations or NGOs Entities: the local authority or its individual departments, public institutions (such as Organisations: private companies, firms, etc.) associations or NGOs libraries, schools,
CO per capita for the EU-27 in 2009: 8,105 kgCO /cap *Source: EU energy in figures statistical pocketbook 2012, European Commission: CO2 per capita for the EU-27 in 2009: 8,105 kgCO2/cap
2 2
Entities: the local authority or its individual departments, public institutions (such as libraries, schools, etc.) *Source: EU energy in figures statistical pocketbook 2012, European Commission:
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Publications
Merk, O., Saussier, S., Staropoli, C., Slack, E., Kim, J-H (2012), Financing Green Urban Infrastructure, OECD Regional Development Working Papers 2012/10, OECD Publishing; http://dc.doi.org/10.1787/5k92p0c6j6r0-en
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