INOGATE is evaluating the financing facilities for energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy (RE) that are currently available in its Partner Countries with a special focus on Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova. The study was carried out in October and November 2015, with a final report to be published at the end of January 2016. The report will increase awareness among Partner Countries (PC), international financial institutions (IFI) and bilateral donors of the overall RE power and EE support mechanisms that can implement their national energy efficiency action plans (NEEAP) and national renewable energy action plans (NREAP). The study maps out to what extent PCs are fulfilling their commitments to RES and EE under the Energy Community Treaty (ECT) and assesses the level of funding required within a given time frame. It will also identify gaps and provide a list of financial mechanisms and tools that are available in other EE/RE markets that could be developed in PCs to mitigate investment risks and attract private capital.

Among the main conclusions from the study mission were that IFI financing and donor grants have helped open markets, but an enabling environment and more affordable financing is needed. Among the IFIs evaluated are the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the World Bank Group, the European Investment Bank and bilateral development banks that finance small and medium-sized enterprises.

The three countries highlighted – Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova – all understand the need for energy efficiency, although financing remains an obstacle. All three share weak currencies which increase financing risk and lack affordable local currency financing. Due to a more clement climate, EE in Georgia is perceived as being less critical than in Ukraine and Moldova where financing has been largely driven by the public sector. Georgia has the best potential and investment climate for financing RE, whereas it is still modest in Ukraine and Moldova despite some potential RE investments.

Preliminary conclusions before the publication of the final report provide some future directions: IFI financing is still needed but must be well targeted; the municipal sector continues to rely on soft IFI lending; EU grants through the Neighbourhood Investment Facility (NIF) and the Eastern Europe Energy Efficiency and Environmental Partnership (E5P) are helpful; the injection of national EE funds in Ukraine and Moldova are crucial and there is a need for increased EU guarantee instruments to expand public sector lending and boost local currency financing.

INOGATE held its final meeting of the Energy Statistics Network (ESN) reflecting the culmination of what has been achieved over the years of cooperation and planning for the future.

INOGATE’s ESN is now well-established and regionally recognised, with its members working towards the common goal of increasing the capacity of national statistical institutes (NSIs) to collect, process and disseminate energy statistics, work towards convergence with EU standards and methodology, increase the use of energy statistics in policy making and to increase the understanding of the importance of statistics in developing energy planning tools.

The two-day meeting brought together representatives of the EU, IEA, ITS experts and delegates from Partner Countries (PC). Participants concentrated on evaluating the statistical cooperation between INOGATE PCs, evaluating the state of play of their energy statistics activities, to what extent they have achieved their Energy Statistics Action Plans (ESAPs) and, importantly, to establish a framework for future statistical activities and cooperation.

Delegates shared the “success stories” of Georgia, Moldova and Belarus:

Georgia saw changes in the Law on Official Statistics, improved and updated its sampling frame, increased the knowledge of staff, improved communication with producers, providers and users of energy statistics, improved software for data collection, launched the production of monthly gas and oil statistics and expanded the use of administrative sources for data production.

Moldova published its main indicators, information and metadata online, reported its monthly gas and oil statistics to the Joint Organisations Data Initiative (JODI) and published users and deadlines for submission of statistics. Moldova is also developing an energy prices reporting system to comply with Energy Community obligations.

Belarus, through its Energy Statistics Working Group, has developed draft methodology in compilation of fuel and energy balance, as well as a climate factor calculation and energy efficiency indicators. Belarus is the only PC to adopt climate correction methodology in the development of its energy statistics.

A session was dedicated to the important role that statistical and forecasted energy balances play in energy planning, contributing to the development of sustainable energy supply and demand options, with Croatia presenting its particular experience.

The meeting also focused on the preparation of the final impact assessment of INOGATE on energy statistics in the PCs.  This will be a springboard for future energy statistics activities during the extension period of cooperation between ITS and country NSIs from 2015 to 2016 which will not only continue its energy statistics activities, but also concentrate on monitoring energy efficiency and renewable energy policies and measures and on improving the analytical and planning aspects of energy statistics.

On the photo: participants from INOGATE Partner Countries during the Event

The national Sustainable Energy Information Centre for Moldova is being inaugurated at Moldova’s Eco-Energetica Awards on 4 December 2015. The Centre, which will officially be opened in March 2016, will be a hands-on, learning environment to create greater awareness of energy efficiency (EE) and renewable energy (RE) among householders, energy managers and other stakeholders in the public and private sectors. The Centre will be hosted by the Moldovan Agency of Energy Efficiency (AEE) and its development is supported by INOGATE experts, the national NGO AEER and the Ministry of Economy of Moldova.

The announcement will set in motion the organisation of the many activities that the Centre will offer: it will invite suppliers to provide exhibits and documentation on energy efficient products, develop information materials in the form of infographs, DVDs, video spots and web and FB pages, develop interactive displays and exhibits, organise seminars and roundtables with journalists, suppliers, teachers and students and energy managers and recruit staff for the operation of the Centre. Visitors will be able to see how energy efficient appliances and building materials will affect their daily lives in enabling them to control and reduce their energy use. The Centre will also act as a hub for related activities carried out by civil society, educational institutions and industry.

INOGATE’s input includes assistance in developing a structured approach to awareness raising, assisting in the development of a concept, strategy and action plan for the Centre and assisting in the development and provision of information materials and exhibits. INOGATE is also providing training for the centre’s personnel and planning the implementation of the initial stage of operations.

To find out more, please check the AEE website about www.aee.md

Key decision makers involved in planning, developing and financing energy infrastructure, policy makers, energy regulators, network operators and financing institutions will gather in Brussels for a workshop on ensuring supply and competitiveness through energy infrastructure connectivity.

The workshop will take place back-to-back with the 14th meeting of Eastern Partnership Platform 3 on Energy Security on Friday, 11 December. It will Identify key takeaways and provide a comprehensive contribution to be presented at the 14th meeting of Eastern Partnership Platform 3 on Energy Security, which will take place the following day.

The workshop will feature speakers from DG NEAR and INOGATE, as well as Country Coordinators who will present the perspectives of Armenia, Belarus, Azerbaijan, Georgia, the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine.

The workshop will discuss current EU practices in developoping a new energy interconnection infrastructure within the framework of the EU’s own goals for 10% interconnectivity by the year 2020. The speakers from INOGATE Partner Countries will share their own good examples, present their existing procedures and tools and identify and discuss the main gaps and hurdles that must be overcome for interconnecting their energy supplies.

Casting a light on their own gaps and barriers hindering development of energy infrastructure will move PCs towards discussing their own experience and lessons in planning for security of supply and the development of an energy interconnection infrastructure.

Delegates will discuss EU practice in terms of both EU and their own legal and regulatory frameworks for interconnection and, at the same time, discuss social and environmental issues and the need to ensure broad public acceptance.

In the long term, the energy planning process will ensure that energy policies and strategies are defined; that dialogue between neighbouring countries will provide a balanced view of economic benefits against the pursuit of energy independence; that energy policies will become a process of consultation and that energy policy options will be quantified and assessed in terms of their expected impact.

On the photo: Meeting in Brussels "Regional Seminar on Electricity Cross Border Trading – EU Perspectives" organised by the INOGATE Technical Secretariat on 31 January to 1 February 2013

Rehabilitation and modernisation are two key activities for the gas transportation network in Georgia. Built during the 1960-80s, the gas pipelines are now threatened with serious corrosion. Inspection is urgent, both through periodical assessment and by correcting identified weaknesses to ensure their efficiency and public safety.

Assessing Georgia’s unpiggable pipelines – pipelines that must be assessed externally – must use the External Corrosion Direct Assessment (ECDA) method, an internationally recognised method for evaluating the seriousness and extent of external corrosion for unpiggable pipelines. ECDA proactively contains corrosion defects by identifying and addressing the corrosion activity; repairing the corroded defects and repairing the causes of corrosion.

A pilot area of Georgia’s gas pipeline which wil be used for an ECDA survey which will demonstrate the purpose, abilities and techniques of ECDA and its tangible results. Existing technical characteristics of the system, route maps and topography will be used to create a pipeline profile identifying high and low points, locations of crossings and significant features of the locality. Current local practices will also be determined and the technology used. At the same time, the methods and technology used internationally will be reviewed, with special emphasis on ECDA. Importantly, this pilot study will also provide training to personnel of the Georgian Oil and Gas Corporation (GOGC).

This project will contribute to the efforts of the GOGC in effectively inspecting and assessing old parts of Georgia’s transmission gas network (unpiggable pipelines) in order to secure its soundness and effectiveness.