At the beginning of the project, partners established the baseline for further project activities by analysing the financing framework and identifying financing gaps for energy projects within each partner country. The partnership also prepared a training curriculum, which consists of general training modules (catalogue of evaluation methods and didactics) and specialist modules (leasing, EPC, crowdfunding and project finance). They are available in English, Armenian, Czech, Georgian, German, Croatian and Polish. This material has been made available on the E-FIX website and the Ambassador Platform in the form of the “E-FIX toolbox”, following a feedback round from training participants.
Not only were internal train-the-trainer sessions organised for knowledge transfer within the partnership, the partners also completed ambassador trainings in their countries, reaching a total of 284 participants. These Ambassadors received training on the different financing instruments and were also introduced to the Ambassador Platform where all of the major E-FIX deliverables were made available. The E-FIX roadmap is one of the major results of the project, presenting a vision for innovative financing for energy efficiency and renewable energy projects till 2030. In addition, 6 E-FIX Action plans were developed, focusing on concrete measures for the promotion of selected innovative financing instruments beyond the project’s lifetime. The 6 Action Plans also provide the strategic direction for the foundation of the Energy Finance Competence Centres (EFCC), which are supposed to act as national contact points for practitioners, project developers, financing providers, and possible beneficiaries. All countries organised stakeholder events to present their EFCCs.
Stakeholders were also heavily involved in the pilot financing campaigns conducted, taking part in stakeholder forums and forming implementation groups. These groups then assisted in the development of the pilot financing implementation plans. Bilateral Master Classes represented a key internal knowledge transfer activity where expert PPs worked with ‘novice’ PPs to support them in the implementation of the Pilot Financing Campaigns and the roll-out of the selected financing mechanisms in their countries. Further work carried out includes the development of dissemination and communication plan as well as the set-up of the project identity in the form of the project logo and the visual identity. A project website was also developed hosting all the project results and a Facebook page was also launched. Regular newsletters were sent out informing on project results and activities and webinars were held to inform on the usage of the Ambassador Platform and the pilot financing campaigns. In addition, both a mid-term and final conference were organised. A large number of articles were published on the project and a selected number of projects were shared on the DEEP platform.
In terms of project management, Steering Committee and partner meetings were held, in addition to monthly partnership calls to allow for the smooth implementation of the project. Overall, the project met all its objectives and targets, helping promote innovative financing instruments in the participating countries.
The project disseminated and exploited its results in a highly effective way, by publishing all major results on its website, communicating with local media, giving presentations at relevant events and liaising with other EU-funded projects working on similar topics. This has ensured that the maximum number of stakeholders possible has been reached and paved the way for the long-term usage of E-FIX’s results beyond the lifetime of the project.
