As a result of the Beenergi program, Girona Provincial Council has assisted 53 municipalities in improving their public lighting energy efficiency by making contracts with micro energy service companies. 34 municipalities have contracted energy efficiency improvements in the public lighting of their municipalities. A total of 12.17 million euros in investment was mobilized and the contract cost (or proposed budget in some cases) was 16.96 million euros. The tonnes per year in overall emissions reduction have been 3,424.40tCO2/year and the energy savings have been 7,162.90 MWh/year. The companies that were selected have mainly been SMEs, whether by group or individual contracts, with direct technical assistance provided to the council. The investment of 12.17 million euros in renewable energy means the creation of 29 green Jobs.
Throughout the duration of the Beenergi program 63 municipalities have received assistance in implementing energy efficiency measures or building renewable energy installations using biomass for different municipal buildings.
In the case of biomass installations, there was the option of using wood burning or pellet burning boilers or centralised heating networks that use wood boilers.
There was an increased use in biomass as a thermal energy because the Environmental Services Department of the Girona Provincial Council has been working on ways of promoting local, certified, quality biomass. In the scope of climate change and energy dependence on fossil fuels, taking advantage of forest biomass to produce energy is seen as an opportunity to encourage the multi-uses of forests, to accelerate the primary sector, promote forest management, create new businesses, create new jobs and to do it conserving the natural value of the forest.
Overall there was a carbon emissions reduction of 2,612 tCO2/year, reaching 5,145 tons of wood, which means there were 6,431 hectares of sustainable- managed forest, reducing fire risks and creating forestry related jobs. The companies that were awarded contracts were for the most part, (99% of the cases), small and medium-sized companies—either by group or individual purchases, with the direct technical assistance from the city council. The investment of 9.5 € in renewable energy means the creation of jobs for 282 workers in the sustainable energy field.
