Commission supports creation of 33 new energy agencies
The total number of European energy agencies established under the EU's SAVE II programme for the promotion of energy efficiency has now reached 173, following a recent Commission decision to fund 16 new regional energy centres and 17 new urban energy agencies. A total of ECU 150,000 will be granted to these agencies for their first three years of operation. The main objective of urban and regional energy management is to define and implement a series of activities aimed at improving demand management by promoting energy efficiency and ensuring better use of local and renewable resources. These centres will also help facilitate growing awareness amongst local policy-makers of the impact of energy on other policies for which they are responsible. The centres will cooperate with each other and will draw on the experience of existing agencies. Amongst the new agencies, one will be created in Norway for the first time, and the agency to be created in Athens, Greece, will cooperate with a similar agency in London. The new Greek agency will aim to promote energy saving in the city of Athens and will also contribute to the preparation of sustainable Olympic Games in 2004.