Five energy efficiency projects in Slovakia, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria and Czech Republic are ready for finance. The projects have been identified and developed towards a bankable status in the framework of the „Bankable Energy Efficiency Projects (BEEP)“ scheme co-ordinated by the German Energy Agency. As the implementation of energy efficiency projects in Central and Eastern Europe is still lacking substantially behind its potential the BEEP scheme is supported by the European Commission in the framework of the SAVE programme.

The five energy efficiency projects are mainly dealing with modernisation of fossil power plants and district heating systems. „The application of modern technology is resulting in a substantial increase of energy efficiency and therefore a sustainable decrease of carbon dioxide emissions” Stephan Kohler, managing director of the German Energy Agency explains. “Furthermore, in Bulgaria the conversion of a municipal heat supply system from fossil fuels to renewable energy resources is in preparation. A nearby situated geothermal reservoir is providing the appropriate basis”

“The potential for energy savings in Central and Eastern Europe is still well above the average” Dr. Petra Opitz, expert for Eastern Europe at the German Energy Agency underlines. Therefore, the most important task of BEEP is to accelerate know how transfer regarding finance of energy efficiency projects and thus to support the potential´s exploitation. In this way the EU accession countries are able to profit from the EU member states´ experiences and to adapt step by step to EU energy efficiency standards.

Extensive information on BEEP and the framework conditions for energy efficiency projects in the participating Central and Eastern European countries are available on the project´s website. Furthermore, interested financial institutions and investors are invited to contact the German Energy Agency.