During the initial phase of the project activities, the responsible partners in the three pilot countries - Bulgaria, Slovenia and North Macedonia - set up the institutional framework and the eaa toolbox at national level. This dedicated action lead to the development of recommendations on eea integration with the SECAP reporting process, supported by the eea online energy management tool. A detailed guide for the Assessment Guidance’s adaptation was created to support and ease the national adaptations. Subsequently, taking into consideration the actual scope of action and needs in the selected pilot municipalities (3 per country), the eea catalogue and assessment guidance was translated to Slovenian, Bulgarian and Macedonian. In each municipality, up to 4 experts (eea consultants/advisors) were successfully selected and trained by the end of 2021. In parallel, the national institutional structures in the more advanced eea countries – Romania and Ukraine – was strengthened, as efforts were concentrated on ongoing eea assessment and certification.
Following the preparatory stage, the next crucial step was the launch of the pilot phase, utilizing the eea Management Tool for initial energy and climate reviews, and consequently shifting towards audits and certification from the eea international auditors. This process was successfully conducted in the majority of the in the 26 pilot municipalities, leading to design and implementation of tailored policies within a coherent eea energy and climate plan, and formulating national roll-out plans based on insights gained during the pilot phase. In the process, other 92 municipalities were directly involved in project-related activities, promoting the benefits of engaging in systematic energy management practices.
Certainly, the success of EXCITE was based not only on the implementation of the eea process, but also on the three main project pillars ensuring sustainable uptake of the promoted actions: definition of financing models, stakeholders engagement and capacity building activities. As a first step, a database of financing mechanisms was elaborated and related to the existing public support programmes, providing reliable information to local authorities and shaping a common basis for assessment of the investment potential. In the realm of civil engagement, the project developed guidance and strategies, fostering proactive involvement of local communities. To build capacity and ensure knowledge dissemination, an innovative capacity building program was designed, employing an online learning platform available in 6 languages. This initiative supported expert training, online and onsite workshops, peer reviews, and blended learning formats.
The results of these activities were presented to over 7000 stakeholders via dedicated events, emphasizing the significance of streamlined energy management systems in attracting private investments and engaging municipalities in sustained activities in this direction. In addition, more than 130 publications on issues related to municipal energy planning and management were prompted, putting the topic high on the media and public agenda.
