Municipalities
Today – as in many other countries – our country’s energy economy is also facing serious problems. The energy structure of Hungary is built on from the abroad bought, more and more expensive and mainly based on fossil fuels, which is an unfortunate combination from an environment or security of supply point of view.
Handling the situation depends on energy conservation, energy efficiency and energy security.
Besides the state and the companies, the local municipalities also play a major role in this, since they have maintained buildings which combined heating and electricity demand is very important.
Reducing the serious costs can made possible through the complex, energy efficient renovation of public buildings as well as through replacing the consumed energy with a higher proportion of locally produced, renewable sources.
The first step in achieving the goal is to develop a local energy strategy, which helps to assess whether the interventions are necessary or not and in what order they should be implemented. This is followed by the stage of project preparation and development, in which to the selected project a feasibility study is made. The cost of this study is supported by a number of proposals for construction that is eligible in the project budget. Finally, the achievement fully according with the plans is guaranteed through the effective project management activities.
Money and resources…
The application/support systems- as opposed to the previous ones- will prefer the complex, in-depth reconstruction: investments, which result in 60-80% energy savings. The gradual reduction in state funding of local government spending is increasingly forcing municipalities to rational management. This can be achieved through e strengthening of their own sources of revenue and savings. As the governments operating costs- a significant proportion of their institutions cover overhead costs, i.e. energy expenditure, they can be significantly improved by reducing the local budget balance- the scarce resources could be used for improvements, instead of bill payments.
If in the traditional ways produces energy is replaced with the renewable energy resources (taking into account environmental issues), the decentralized energy production and through the use of efficient technologies the government will be less vulnerable to energy price developments, and this allows for more secure energy supply in the locality.
Predictable costs…
In order to achieve the above mentioned goal, it is important to develop a local energy strategy, which examines he system level energy development opportunities in a short-, medium- and long term. A well-designed, comprehensive approach to energy strategy ensures optimal use of available resources for the municipalities; a detailed assessment of the renewable energy potential of municipal solid can be a basis for decisions and future investments.
A good strategy explores the general public and local businesses’ energy use in addition to direct local governments.
The energy strategy is a pre-decision document, based on which the town leaders may decide in which field it is worth, i.e. what is possible to achieve, what the costs are and what advantages and disadvantages, risks may be expected during the intervention.
To the utilizationof renewable energy sources, related to investments- currently running and future- it can be an advantage if the community already has an energy strategy.
Community interest…
It is also not a negligible aspect that the energetic modernization of municipal institutions allows local entrepreneurs, companies’ employment, which affects the city/region’s building industry.
The leading and exemplary climate protection initiations- in addition to good communication – are usually recognized and appreciated by the public. Thus the government can develop an image of an environmentally friendly, clear settlement. This image can increase the environmental awareness of the population and can make the settlement more attractive fro for the tourists.
If the government has already decided on which specific areas (e.g. solar energy, wind energy, geothermal energy or biomass-based energy production such as energy efficient building reconstruction, total or partial replacement of the energy used) intends to implement the investment, it is advisable to prepare a Feasibility Study (EMT). The main aim of this document is to determine whether the proposed project is technically and legally feasible, i.e. economically profitable.
Leave it to the professionals…
Our company, together with our partner company with extensive experience in practical implementation of renewable energy generation- provides a full engineering, procurement, project coordination and legal assistance, able to support the local authorities in each stage of the above outlined process.
Our company will continue to assist local governments, government-run institutions and non-profit organizations in the selection of appropriate support construction and development of the full tender documentation. Our company has not only experience in project preparation and development, but also in the management of large implementation. It is not enough to gain the support; its use is subject to very strict rules: the successful implementation is only conceivable in the case of the implementation of effective project management activities. Compliance with these requirements, we undertake the full range of technical, financial and administrative management of energy projects for the entire duration of the implementation.