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Latvian
RoundBaltic achievements in Eastern Denmark
Mr Tommy Olsen, GATE 21
Key messages and learning
The RoundBaltic intervention in East Denmark has targeted multifamily buildings, single family houses and the promising thermonet solution.
Within multifamily buildings the intervention helped to raise momentum for engagement of new financiers like pension funds and for the development of a new cross border project (involving Sweden) on financing of holistic energy renovations. Within single family houses a large number of municipalities have been mobilised and a one-stop-shop concept has been developed involving a value chain of stakeholders and interaction with existing initiatives.
Thermonet is a collective heat form that is suitable of serving areas above a certain heating density and where conventional district heating.is not feasible. The intervention comprised meetings with 15 municipalities and energy utilities and 20 citizen meetings. This has been accompanied by a video and easy to understand handbook for villages (Gate21.dk/termonet) as well as an assessment tool (Thermonetcalc.eu). As result, 5 – 10 thermonet investment projects are under planning and the first energy utility has implemented a thermonet project.
Involvement of the financial sector
Mr. Lars Ravn Knudsen, Finance Denmark
Key messages and learning
Finance Denmark (FIDA) is business association for Danish banks, mortgage institutions, asset management, securities trading and investment funds. Sustainable finance has become a key element of FIDA since year 2019, where it launched a Sustainable Forum in conjunction with 20 recommendations. Moreover, FIDA is engaged in a climate partnership with the Danish Government that include focus areas such as energy efficient buildings and production facilities.
Lars Ravn Knudsen presented 10 sustainable results of banks and mortgage institutions, incl. that nine out of ten employees have received a competence boost in sustainability and 691 billion DKK worth of loans for financing climate-friendly activities. As a recent initiative FIDA launched, in coordination with the Danish Government, a campaign aiming to replace existing oil and gas fired boilers with green heating, thereby helping with the sustainable transition of society and at the same time removing the independence of fossil fuels from Russia.
Lars ended his presentation by declaring FIDA’s appreciation of the interaction with RoundBaltic. This has helped FIDA to get useful insights of the energy efficiency market and getting to know about stakeholders and initatives, incl. the specific actions enabled by RoundBaltic.
Involvement of the energy efficiency sector
Mrs. Katrine Bjerre, SYNERGI
Key messages and learning
SYNERGI is branch organisation of Danish companies within the energy efficiency sector, incl. big ones like Danfoss, Grundfos, Velux and Rockwool. Katrine Bjerre started to declare the importance of energy efficiency, not only with regard to climate aspects, but also in terms of economy, health/welfare and security of supply. Said in another way, the world will not reach the Paris agreement without better use of energy.
In Denmark a big share of buildings is effective. Digitalisation and energy management is important to save energy as well as to help stabilising a fluctuating green energy system. A lot is already happening on the market, incl. that last year more than 20,000 households got subsidies for a heat pump and energy renovation and 300,000 got a tax reduction for energy renovation. Anyway, SYNERGI appreciate the new EU legislation under development that will imply additional incentives for energy renovations.
Katrine ended the presentation by stating SYNERGI’s perspective is that more finance is needed – from both the state and private sector, if we are to reach the climate goals – and that the financial sector has a special obligation to help drive the market in a greener direction. She also appreciated the interaction with RoundBaltic, incl. the roundtables bringing stakeholders across the energy efficiency sector together and the enabling of specific investment actions.
Session 2: Achievements of green finance in the Baltic and Balkan regions
RoundBaltic achievements in Latvia
Mr. Sergejs Gomzjakovs, Latvian Environmental Investment Fund
Key messages and learning
The intervention in Latvia has linked up to the national goal for 65% CO2 reduction by 2030 and CO2 neutrality by 2050.
A main focus has been on the regions Kurzeme and Vidzeme where RoundBaltic has helped to improve the data level of energy efficiency related processes and to standardize the documentation of energy efficiency implementation projects. At the national level, the intervention looked for ways to address the cyclical nature of financial support for energy efficiency in interaction with the financial sector.
The target sectors have been private, multiapartment buildings and SME sector, where enabling actions helped on issues like ESCO development and to promote uninterrupted flow of investments.
Part of the intervention has been to promote one-stop-shop (OSS) development at regional level as a key aspect in development of sustainable long-term approach for EE projects. In this regard municipalities/agencies should become more proactive, as they have a good profile in view of citizens. It is important that long-term investment commitments and money go into the building property, which also contributes to the market value.
As for future, permanent structures for energy efficiency finance the intervention has resulted in road maps for regions to lead the way for a structured approach to project development, optimising use of public funds incl. involvement of private capital and ESCO and to make use of funds and finances more flexible, simple and understandable.