Sweden provides EUR 616,113 for energy management in BiH

Sweden’s government is allocating an additional BAM 1.2 million (about EUR 616,113) grant to the Green Economic Development (GED) project, implemented by UNDP Bosnia and Herzegovina, aiming to improve energy management in public buildings in BiH.

Marie Bergstrom, Head of the Development Cooperation at the Embassy of Sweden in BiH, and Sukhrob Khoshmukhamedov, UNDP BiH Deputy Resident Representative, signed the Financing Agreement on energy management in the presence of Mirko Šarović, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations of BiH.

Šarović said that more than 80 employees at state institutions will be trained for energy managers, adding that IT equipment will be purchased and databases for 40 public buildings prepared, local media reported. He anticipates annual energy savings of 20% after the implementation of the GED project.

Šarović said that the Swedish government invested EUR 13 million (more than BAM 25 million) in such and similar projects in BiH until 2014.

BiH to be the first country in the region to have a complete energy management system for public facilities at the state level, including the measuring equipment for automatic energy and water consumption monitoring and reporting

“I am happy that we continue our support to BiH authorities to set up, monitor and manage energy consumption in the public sector in order to reduce carbon emissions and contribute to a better environment and cleaner air for all citizens,” said Bergstrom.

Sweden also allocated funds for the project in 2016, 2017, and 2018.

Hoshmuhamedov said that these additional funds will make BiH the first country in the region to have a complete energy management system for public buildings at the state level, including the measuring equipment for energy and water consumption monitoring and reporting.

The GED project was launched in February 2018, and the estimated end date is February 2021. The project aims to institutionalize energy management activities within the public sector buildings in BiH.