Through the project “Smart Energy Municipalities Project in Albania (SEMP)”  the Swiss Government will support the Albanian municipalities of Berat, Korça, Përmet and Shkodra in improving their energy efficiency and in eliminating negative impacts on the environment. The project activities are focused in two main components with five sub-components that join forces for an all-inclusive approach under two outcomes. The first one will be a suitable energy management framework that improves energy management at municipal and national level and the second outcome will be that citizens of selected municipalities will benefit from energy efficient public services provided by effective administrations.

The project’s implementation period will be from year 2021 to 2024. The project will be implemented under the coordination of the State Secretariat for Economic Affairs of the Swiss Confederation (SECO) and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy of the Republic of Albania   

Background

Improving energy efficiency (EE) and diversifying the energy mix to other renewable energy sources (RES) are key strategic objectives of the Albanian Government. To support the implementation of the national energy policy, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy (MIE) and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) launched a new joint initiative in April 2019 titled Smart Energy Municipalities Project (SEMP).

Energy security, sustainable development and the fight against climate change cannot be imagined today without a quality policy for improving energy efficiency. Apart from the contribution to the reduction of the negative impact of the energy sector on the environment and climate change, improved energy efficiency also reduces import dependence, and increases the competitiveness of the economy, living standards and quality of life of citizens. The application of energy efficiency (EE) measures stimulates economic activities in the country and thus regional development.

 The project objective

The objective of the SEMP is to support pilot Albanian municipalities Berat, Shkodër, Korçë, and Përmet to manage energy in a sustainable manner and to implement the national energy policy at local level. To this end, it will pilot and institutionalize an energy management system that is based on the EEA and incorporates the requirements of the national energy legislation.

 The project aims at assisting municipalities to: (i) better plan, manage and monitor their energy consumption and supply; (ii) achieve more sustainable energy management at local level; (iii) improve policy and regulatory framework; (iv) establish a sustainable financing mechanism for an Albanian energy management framework; (v) mitigate climate change; (vi) implement national energy policy, strategy and priorities.

 These objectives are pursued through the development of a local energy management system inspired by the EEA standards in pilot municipalities, which are complemented by tailored capacity building, institutional strengthening, policy dialogue and awareness raising measures, as well as showcases of EE quick-win investments.

Outcome 1: Improved Energy Management Framework, and

Outcome 2: Better Services through Effective Institutions.

The expected impact is that energy efficient municipalities contribute to a low-carbon development of the economy, improved quality of life and reduced pollution of the environment.