Co-operation with local and regional energy agencies - IDAE, Spain

Summary
The IDAE has carried out, in the framework of the OPET contract for the period July 2001 to June 2002, a set of actions aimed at the deployment of energy technologies within the Spanish territory and at the increase of co-operation with other countries, notably in Latin America and Portugal, where strong links exist.

The actions have paid special attention to the issues that are under debate in Europe, namely the Green Paper on the security of energy supply, the proposal for Directive for the energy performance of buildings, the promotion of biomass and biofuels, etc.

Local actions, aimed at the reinforcement of links between Spanish energy agencies, were undertaken by means of three tools:

• design and distribution of periodical newsletters;
• organization of an annual conference of energy agencies;
• establishment of the basis towards the creation of a National Association of Spanish Energy Agencies.

End-user area	Sustainable communities
Target audience	Local and regional authorities
Technical scope	Appliances Biomass CHP Clean fossil fuel Cooling District heating Energy efficiency Geothermal Heating Hydro power Lighting Solar energy Wind Other

Context
Across Spain in 2001, there existed a total of 33 energy agencies at the local, regional and provincial level. These were created in the light of the current level of interest in energy issues and as a result of the challenges these issues posed to politicians and citizens. Their establishment was also thanks to the support provided by the SAVE Programme.

The situation of facing each of these energy agencies, in terms of budget and human resources, is varied. Some of them count on a large number of employees and carry out continuous international actions, while others are just beginning their work and have difficulties to attend international meetings, to receive updated information on the recent developments carried out by other agencies and to search for the European partners needed for the preparation in EC bids.

Objectives
The development of support activities that encourage the exchange of information between agencies and the transfer of know-how and good practice, thereby:

• strengthening and supporting the role of Energy Management Agencies at an administrative level (local (municipality), supra-municipality, regional or national), especially within the European Union.
• preparing and implementing joint collaboration projects.
• promoting co-operation between the different members of the Association.
• improving the specific knowledge and expertise of Energy Agency staff.
• supporting the creation of new Energy Agencies.
• increasing the co-ordination of the resources and the incentive systems applied by each Energy Agency.
• raising the awareness of key actors on the importance of RES and RUE.

Process

• The design and distribution, in electronic format, of periodical newsletters that contain news of interest at the European, national and regional level and where the agencies have the opportunity to present their experiences or to search for different types of information. The contents of the newsletters are supplied by Spanish agencies and the IDAE is responsible for the preparation of the material, the design and the distribution of the documents. Four newsletters were issued during the period of reference.
• The organisation of an annual conference, in the municipality of Valladolid, 21-22 March 2002. This was the fifth annual conference of exchange of experiences between energy agencies developed in Spain.
• The preparation of the basis of a future National Association of Spanish Energy Management Agencies. During the first half of 2002, the IDAE worked in the design of the structure of the new association, its statutes, legal and financial issues as well as its action and financial plan.

Actions
- Seminar
- Newsletter
- Local Agencies

Financial resources and partners

Results

• Four newsletters were issued during the period of reference.

• The organisation of an annual conference, "Annual Meeting of Exchange of Experiences among Spanish Energy Management Agencies", in the municipality of Valladolid, 21-22 March 2002. The conference counted on the participation of 54 attendees coming from all the Spanish agencies and from the European Commission. The conference, in which 21 presentations were put forward, focused on three main issues: the creation of a national association of Spanish energy agencies; initiatives for the development of RES, and the role of municipal ordinances in the support of RUE and RES projects. As a result of the conference, a book of proceedings was published. It contains the agenda, the list of participants, a copy of all the presentations made and some conclusions. During this conference, IDAE transmitted to all the Spanish agencies The Commission's support for the setting up of a national association of agencies in Spain.

As a result of these actions developed during the OPET period, the following additional results were forthcoming:

• A further meeting took place (Madrid, November 2002) in which the final statutes of the national association were written;
• IDAE co-ordinated all the work and administrative tasks which resulted, a few months later, with the official launching of EnerAgen: Association of Spanish Energy Management Agencies (Asociación de Agencias Españolas de Gestión de la Energía) on February 26, 2003;
• Subsequently, EnerAgen has actively participated in many Spanish energy events, as well as European meetings, particularly the ManagEnergy Reflection Group (an initiative of the European Commission DG Energy and Transport, which promotes co-operation between local and regional energy actors in Europe through workshops, study tours and onl i n e events on energy saving and renewable energy). EnerAgen, since its beginning, has been represented by its President agency, IDAE, who, as the spokesperson of EnerAgen and President of the association, transmits the position and points of view of the Spanish agencies in those meetings.
• EnerAgen will develop its activities within the Spanish territory, although it will keep continuous contact with other EU institutions related to RES and RUE, especially with the European Commission and other Energy Agencies / Associations.

Lessons learned and replication potential
The success in the application of energy policies needs to take into consideration local conditions: resources, demand, prices, etc.

Local energy agencies have shown that they are a very powerful instrument to act locally in the energy efficiency and renewable energy area.

Newsletters and the creation of the Association of Spanish Energy Agencies have proven to be very efficient instruments in encouraging the exchange of information between agencies and the transfer of know-how and good practice.

The association reinforces the activities of each of its members, giving them a common framework of action and, as the same time, acts as a lobby in the national context to enhance the voice and position of all their agencies. In this sense, the structure of the association is based upon existing structures (non profit association), respects the competencies and roles of each of the agencies that are part of it, is at the service of the Energy Agencies, and has been designed to support their activities.

Printed reports or other literature available
Revistas Agencias de Energía: Septiembre 2001, Octubre 2001, Diciembre 2001, Enero 2002.
Proceedings from the Annual Conference of Spanish Energy Agencies, Valladolid (March 2002).