Regional Environmental Center (REC) brought together industrial companies, governmental institutions, stakeholders, academics and energy efficiency experts, as well as representatives of international organisations, at an event to mark the official launch of the project named ‘Catalysing Market Transformation for Industrial Energy Efficiency and Accelerating Investments in Best Available Practices and Technology’, the aim of which is to improve the energy, environmental and economic performance of the Macedonian industrial sector.
The 50 participants at the kick-off meeting expressed great interest in the project, as energy efficiency and energy use have become key aspects of the country’s economy, REC Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia said. Its director Katarina Georgievska said the aim is to enhance policies and regulatory frameworks, and that the project has an innovative approach, engaging many stakeholders. Vladimir Peševski, deputy prime minister for economic affairs, said local capacities rising from the project would remain, Macedonian Informative Agency reported.
Main objective of the project is to raise awareness of energy efficiency for competitive and sustainable industries. The project is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) through a grant of USD 1.4 million. Co-financers, contributing a total of USD 5.9 million (EUR 5.2 million), are the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (Unido), ministries of economy and environment, the Macedonian Bank for Development and Promotion, the Energy Agency, private companies, USAID’s Industrial Energy Management Project and Low-Emission Development Strategies Project, REC Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, and the Faculty of Technology and Metallurgy of Skopje.
Economy minister Bekim Neziri expressed support for the project’s potential for energy savings, contributing to achieving the objectives of both the National Strategy for Improving Energy Efficiency and the accompanying action plan.
