Montenegrin capital planning savings through energy efficiency upgrade program

The Podgorica city government is planning to cut down on energy and water expenses by 10% to 15% by the end of 2019, the City of Podgorica announced in the Program to Improve Energy Efficiency in the Montenegrin Capital for the 2018-2020 period.

That program, along with a Plan of Measures to Improve Energy Efficiency in 2018, was adopted by councilors in the city assembly.

The authors of the Program said the goal to cut down on energy and water expenses is realistic as has been shown by experience European Union member states and examples from other municipalities in Montenegro. The establishing of a system of integrated energy management can achieve that goal without any significant investments, the Program says.

The authors of the Program are planning savings of at least 10 percent by the end of the planned implementation period with the more ambitious goal of 15 percent being assessed as possible if the city government starts implementing the program early in 2018.

“The reduction of energy spending by 10% in 2019 will stand at some EUR 500,000 while the more ambitious scenario would mean an effect of up to EUR 750,000. Add to that the more modest effects which would be achieved in the first year and we can be certain that the implementation of the program, even under the more modest scenario of 10%, would secure a reduction in consumption and savings of some EUR 1 million by the end of the implementation period, that is the end of the year 2019,” the Program says.

The authors of the program feel that an Energy Efficiency Fund needs to be formed to secure the financing needed for the energy efficiency measures as well as an integrated system of energy management at city level in 2018.

“The establishing of an integrated system includes the identifying of all places where energy is consumed in the capital, the creating of a data base and adequate structures to manage energy in those facilities,” the Program says and adds that the system would cover public buildings and lighting, water supply and waste water processing systems, individual buildings, sports centers, public fountains, billboards, traffic lights, holiday lights and other things since, the authors feel, only that approach can provide complete insight into energy costs and a clear image of the effects of the implemented measures.

Improving energy efficiency in buildings should lead to a drop in the annual consumption of power in kWh per m² of space by some 10% by the end of 2019.

The Program includes the forming of a separate database with reference figures on power consumption in previous years and an energy team to report to the competent ministry.