Valorization of Energy Saving Certificates
Region: Rhône-Alpes Region
Implemented on: Regional level
Target group: Energy provider, municipalities
Summary:
The system of energy saving certificates is a national instrument, in which energy suppliers are obliged to prove energy savings through certificates. They can buy certificates from local authorities, social housing actors and government services of social housing (ANAH). In Rhône-Alpes, the federation of municipalities SIEL offers to municipalities` energy management services and support. It also offers selling of energy savings certificates to finance municipal actions.
Objectives:
- Pushing energy savings projects also in small municipalities with low capacities;
- Improve market conditions for municipalities through gathering certificates.
Funding/Costs:
- Administrative assistance is included in the cost of the “Service assistance to energy management” which is charged to municipalities for about 1 € per inhabitant per year
Results:
- Over the past 3 years, more than 100 GWhc CEE have been filed by the SIEL for an amount of 400.000 €
- SIEL now organizes for municipalities a competition on who is realizing the highest number of CEE, thereby also getting a better overview on number of projects;
- Support for some projects difficult to finance in other ways.
Lessons learnt:
- The system allows municipalities to enter into a virtuous circle of energy savings actions and is becoming stronger every year; the collective organization allowed to bypass the administrative issues and to get maximum financing. The system is duplicable.
The main difficulty lies in the legitimacy of the holder to act on behalf of municipalities. In the case of SIEL, its status of inter-municipal structure has overcome this difficulty.