Local Energy Planning and Management
The context of local energy policy and planning A city has many opportunities to set incentives for clean energy measures. The most important fact is, that concrete projects happen on the concrete city level and can be influenced by the stakeholders of the city to a large extent.
Most important sectors and fields of action for local energy policy International experiences show that energy innovation is achieved in final consequence at the local level, depending on local initiatives and local projects, which have to be appropriate for the local circumstances. more >>
Policies applicable for local energy management Not all political instruments are available for local policy to the whole extent. Some are reserved for the superior political levels. more >>
Examples for sustainable energy actions on local level
The listed examples are a selection of best practice approaches. They do not refer to specific country experiences in detail, but are deduced from such experiences. The intention is to visualize the manifold opportunities and to encourage creativeness in action planning of cities . One further explanation is necessary: In practise the border lines between types of policies become more diffuse than the theoretical systematic would make some one understand. Even between distinct actions and projects may exist dependences and relations, which have to be noticed.
Energy accounting and rehabilitation of community owned buildings Investigations in Europe show, that public buildings often have worse energy indicators than private buildings. Because of the hugh number of such buildings - in average municipality or state owned buildings are the relative highest share of the local building stock - their rehabilitation and better operation including equipment, maintainance and energy use stimulates the economy a lot. In the minimum it is a question of credibility for the energy policy of a city, that community owned buildings demonstrate a good standard. Meanwhile many European cities have started adequate projects. more >>
Rehabilitation of private buildings Principally the same approach as for community owned or used buildings can be applied to private buildings including residential and commercial buildings. more >>
Incentives for energy efficient new buildings Research, demonstration and meanwhile broader international experiences show that the new generation of buildings needs much less energy and by this contributes much less emissions to the environment. The most advanced are so called zero-energy buildings. The later must not be the target line, but about 50 kw/sqm buildings are almost standard meanwhile. This number has to be modified for extrem climate conditions to some extent. more >>
Incentives for clean energy in the industry Industrial production is growing in most countries, partly very rapid. Although the specific energy input per production unit has decreased, industrial energy demand is increasing in total. Forecasts show that up to 95 % of additional energy demand will be provided by fossil fuels in the business-as-usual scenario. Policy should focus thusfore on an utmost efficient use of fossil energy and a bigger share of renewables. more >>
Clean energy from the net Large-scale installations have the advantage, that the costs per units produced are lower in general. Energy transformation can be done more efficient in co-generation plants. Even bio-mass or dump-gas can be used as fuels. Filter technologies, if required through the fuels used, can be installed better. It is recommended to improve local air quality through energy (heat, cool) from the net where suitable. more >>
Incentives for renewables In the long run scientists see a way out of the global energy dilemma through the forced use of renewable sources. To support such sources and related technlogies is modern part of many government policies. As renewable sources are mainly local resources, cities and their surroundings are asked to develop concrete projects on the local level. more >>
Emission trading These market instruments become increasingly important in countries' strategies to deal the climate change. Green Certificate Trading may also have positive impacts for the local environment. more >>
Local energy agencies Several times the demand of institutions, which can provide neutral and professional information to the city's stakeholders was mentioned as important element of clean energy policy. How such institutions can work is outlined on the most renowned example from Europe, where during the past years more than 250 such local institutions were set in force. more >>