Private Investments Move Ecopower - PRIME

Project Duration

February 2005 – June 2007

Background

The basis for this project was project Solar & Save in Germany at the end of the 20th century. Schools invested in rational use of energy (RUE) and renewable energy sources (RES). Specific of this project was involvement of small investors:

local energy service companies
parents of the pupils and
employees at the school

They bought share certificates from 500 Euro upwards. Capital raised by private citizens, amounted to approximately 380.000 Euro. The interest rate from this investment was judged to be between five and six percent and in 2005 the first profit was yielded from the project.
Results of the project were:

less energy used
better energy services with lower costs
bigger portion of RES

PRIME is building on experiences of this project but in accordance with differences in economic, legal and social frames in different European countries.

Project Purpose and Objectives

PRIME aims at fostering private investments in sustainable energy projects, in particular integrated energy efficiency and renewable energy measures by Energy Performance Contracting (EPC).

PRIME promotes participatory sustainable energy projects in public buildings. The necessary investments needed for projects involving RUE and/or RES in public buildings are raised using private capital from citizens and local stakeholders.

Goals

PRIME project:

engages the users of a building to play their part in climate protection. The participating cities promote, facilitate and prepare the ground for sustainable energy projects that they can contribute towards.
develops practical and adaptable models for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from public buildings. Models and tools can be used by towns and cities across Europe, thus avoiding the costs for developing strategies on their own. The development of an easy-to-implement action package, including best practice examples and tested approaches, will contribute to lowering the cost of implementing RES and RUE projects for municipalities.
creates an effective European network of stakeholders who are building a broad knowledge base on the application of participatory sustainable energy projects in public buildings. Experiences, initiatives and ideas can be exchanged and strategies discussed using a web-based platform that includes best practice examples, conceptual tools for feasibility checks and a database with contacts.

The Role of the SE-F in the Project

SE-F aims at motivating the citizens of Slovenia to financially participate in providing sustainable energy services in public sector on the basis of innovative models of EPC respectively public-private partnership. This aim attains with:
development of motivation tools for RUE and RES in schools
motivation campaign in local authorities for sustainable energy
testing and evaluation for quick analysis of potential for RUE and RES in public buildings

Results

PRIME tools:
tool 1: Identification of feasible PRIME projects in three steps and the Guide
tool 2: List for cost assessment and cost-benefit analysis
tool 3: Contract (specimen)
tool 4: Instructions for communication, motivation and trust-building

Anticipated results

European network of different stakeholders: local authorities, energy service companies, schools and environmental non-governmental organisations. Experiences, initiatives and ideas can be exchanged and strategies discussed using a web-based platform.

Coordinator

Climate Alliance Europe

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