Author: fkee

Prishtina, 03 July 2020 – The Kosovo Agency for Energy Efficiency (KAEE) and the Kosovo Energy Efficiency Fund (KEEF) signed an agreement today at the Ministry of Economy and Environment (MEE) premises. The agreement signing event was also attended by the Minister of Economy and Environment, Blerim Kuçi.

The Government of Kosovo considers energy efficiency an essential component of strategic and economic planning and of the country’s development. Therefore, it is committed to contribute to achieving EU targets and to this end provides energy-saving incentives for citizens, open markets and new businesses applying for EE technologies. 

As a signatory to the Energy Community Treaty and to the Stabilization and Association Agreement (SAA), Kosovo is obliged to transpose and implement the Acquis communautaire related to energy efficiency. The Republic of Kosovo and the EE relevant institutions thereof have expressed their willingness to fulfil the obligations deriving from the Energy Community Treaty.

The Kosovo Energy Efficiency Fund has now been operationalized under the Energy Efficiency Law, making Kosovo the first country in the region to establish a financial mechanism for energy efficiency measures across energy consumption sectors.

Following the ratification of the agreement of 15 January 2015 between the Republic of Kosovo (Recipient) and the International Development Association in the amount of USD 31 million and based on the successful implementation of the Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Project for Kosovo (EEREPK), the Ministry of Economy and Environment expressed, through the Kosovo Agency for Energy Efficiency, its readiness to implement the final package worth EUR 5 million targeting municipalities through the Kosovo Energy Efficiency Fund under this agreement.

In order to expand the scope of the program on a more sustainable basis with the establishment of the Kosovo Energy Efficiency Fund, the EEREPK’s restructuring will secure additional funding, i.e. USD 10.37 million channelled into the grant funds of the EU Instrument for Pre-Accession (IPA II), of which EUR 9.6 million in the field of energy efficiency.

All municipalities in Kosovo will benefit from this fund in education, health, administration and other sectors. Most importantly, the fund will create a permanent institutional structure as a financial mechanism that can continue the renovation of public buildings and eventually expand to the resident sector, e.g. apartment blocks and individual houses, and the private business sector. 

Institute for Development Policy (INDEP) in partnership with GiZ have launched the “Friends of Energy” campaign in honor of the International Day for Energy Efficiency.

This campaign is organized as part of the project “Promoting Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Sources in Kosovo” aimed at supporting Kosovo towards faster implementation of energy efficiency measures and achieving the goals under the Efficiency Action Plan. of energy.

INDEP Executive Director Burim Ejupi said the campaign to promote efficiency and energy impacts returns on investment.

Emergency and Energy Fund director Admir Shala said the campaign aims to help municipalities and businesses that want to invest.

“For the first time in our region this fund aims to help municipalities and we hope that this investment will return multiple,” Shala said.

Kosovo becomes the first country in the Western Balkans to launch an Energy Efficiency Fund.

The Energy Efficiency Fund was launched by the Ministry of Economic Development with the support of the World Bank and the European Union. This fund was created as a result of the adoption of the Law on Energy Efficiency in November 2018. For this fund the Kosovo Government has allocated € 1 million while World Bank and EU pledged € 10 million.

Nataliya Apostolova, head of the EU Office in Kosovo at a conference today said that Kosovo still faces challenges such as sustainable energy supply, and that energy efficiency is the only viable alternative, which increases security and sustainability of energy supply, creates jobs and improves the environment.

“It is critical that reforms in the energy sector in Kosovo are in line with the Energy Community Treaty and with the SAA, with a view to gradual integration with Europe’s energy markets. Energy Efficiency has always been and will remain on the focus of EU funding in Kosovo. Over € 19 million on the implementation of energy efficiency measures in the public buildings by the EU in the past. We expect the Fund will be fully staffed with a professional team in the next 2 months so it can start implementing energy efficiency projects in public buildings. It is very important that schools, kindergartens, health centers benefit from the Fund across Kosovo, “said Apostolova.

Marco Mantovanelli, World Bank Manager for Kosovo among other, said that Kosovo is leading in terms of energy efficiency in the Balkans. He also added that current EU and World Bank investment related to energy efficiency focused of public buildings and in the future it is foreseen to be raised even at the private sector level.

Photo: European Union Office in Kosovo

The Municipality Building and the Adem Jashari Cultural Center in Istog are the next projects that will benefit from the third package of investments in energy efficiency measures from the Kosovo Energy Efficiency Fund.

The measures that will be implemented in these two facilities include: thermal insulation of the building envelope (thermal insulation of walls, efficient windows and roof insulation), replacement of the existing boiler with efficient one, the cleaning of the pipe network, the installation of dynamic thermostatic valves ensuring internal temperatures according to the required norms, as well as the electrical works that include the change of inefficient lighting bodies to efficient ones (LED). These investments amount to more than 580 thousand euros and it is intended that through them to be saved about 370 MWh per year or about 60% of the total consumption of these two buildings, while the works are expected to be completed within this year.

We thank the municipality of Istog for their cooperation, as well as our donors: the EU Office in Kosovo, the World Bank and the Government of the Republic of Kosovo for their support and funding.

Following the signing of energy services agreements with the municipalities benefiting from the new investment package, the Managing Director of the Kosovo Energy Efficiency Fund Mr. Ahmet Ismaili and the Mayor of the Municipality of Malisheva Mr. Ekrem Kastrati have signed four (4) Energy Services Agreements for four (4) facilities of the municipality of Malisheva.

“Habib Zogaj” Sports Hall and three schools; “Ibrahim Mazreku” in Malishevë, “Lasgush Poradeci” in Kijevë and “Labinot Krasniqi” in Mirushë are the buildings in which the necessary efficiency measures will be applied. The investments cost for these projects reach the figure of 1 million euros, while it is expected that 1262 people will benefit directly from these investments of the Kosovo Energy Efficiency Fund.

Drenasi is the next municipality who will benefit from the new package of investments in energy efficiency measures. In the meeting with the Mayor of Drenas Mr. Ramiz Lladrovci, five (5) agreements were signed for energy services for five (5) facilities: “Migjeni” School, “Shote Galica” School, “24 Korriku” School, “Shaban Polluzha” School as well as the Family Health Center in the village of Nekoc.

Following the signing of Energy Services Agreement with the municipalities benefiting from the new investment package, the Managing Director of the Kosova Energy Efficiency Fund Mr. Ahmet Ismaili and the Mayor of Rahovec Mr. Smajl Latifi have signed four (4) Energy Service Agreements for four (4) school buildings of the municipality of Rahovec.

The Managing Director of the Kosovo Energy Efficiency Fund Mr. Ahmet Ismaili, today has signed the Energy Services Agreement with the Mayor of the Municipality of Gjilan Mr. Alban Hyseni. This agreement includes the implementation of energy efficiency measures in the “Abaz Ajeti” school and its investment amounts to 350 thousand euros.

Some of the energy efficiency measures that will be implemented in this school include: the thermal insulation of the building envelope, the replacement of windows and doors, the replacement of lighting with efficient LED lighting and the installation of a pellet boiler. 

The number of direct beneficiaries from this investment of the Kosovo Energy Efficiency Fund is 1200 people, while this project is supported by the EU Office in Kosovo, the World Bank and the Government of the Republic of Kosovo.