Timis County Council meeting was meant to encourage municipalities in the Western representatives to be involved in attracting European funding in the year 2014 -2020, enabling energy efficiency in buildings, public lighting and public transportation.
Covenant of Mayors
Representatives of municipalities present at the event were encouraged to join the Covenant of Mayors initiative (Covenant of Mayors), an agreement by the involved authorities voluntarily commit to increasing energy efficiency and use of renewable energy sources in their territories.
Also, municipalities are advised to develop a Sustainable Energy Action Plan (SEAP) and subsequent implementation of ISO 50001 – Energy Management System locally.
The plan involves setting clear and realistic objectives related to reducing CO2 emissions in each locality, so as to achieve a reduction in emissions of at least 20% by 2020.
Timis County Master Energy Plan
According to Marian Constantin Vasile, President of AMET, County Energy Management Association was founded in 2011 on a European grant six founding members equal partners – Timis County Council, Timisoara City Council, Chamber of Commerce, University Politehnica Timisoara (also Institute Renewable Energy Research) and the Federation of Housing Associations Colterm.
"We feel ready to operate and European funded projects. I want to say and important achievement that we have nationally, to create the country's first Energy Master Plan, a master plan crucial for both everyday life of citizens but also for investors and their stability. We know very well the energy problems facing large investors who suffer from various problems in the field, such as grid instability. Therefore, I believe that we must make every effort that the industry of the future (which can never be exhausted) to be exploited in a sustainable direction, "said Marian Constantin Vasile.
AMET President points out that there is expertise on energy and that "municipalities are not aware that utility infrastructure is not just water, sewerage, roads, it means power."
Plan for energy efficiency in the western
AMET representatives say that the project aims to intervene in four directions – heating, public lighting, public buildings and public transport.
"In the public lighting, we all know that there are many new technologies. It is true that the first challenge is related to payments. Although implementation costs are assumed larger than standard systems, however, depreciation is done in an acceptable time range and beneficial on many levels, "says President AMET.
With regard to public buildings, Marian Constantin Vasile points out that it takes a envelope of these buildings, one that can be done on several levels.
"Besides the envelope, we must think and energy efficiency within the building using automatic control systems with thermostats, boilers. Sometimes it takes an education of citizens, and AMET is designed to act on this. "
Regarding public transportation, representatives of the Association said that this sector consumes a lot of energy (if firobuses) an liquid fuel, the consequence of city pollution. They give as an alternative electric vehicles to be charged in certain stations that use solar systems.
"The heat level can give you example Colterm founding member that has major challenges regarding heat supply. Many citizens are chaotic disconnect and do not necessarily understand the effects of disconnection, they believe that a boiler is always better, which is false. The boiler does not have the same constant temperature. Of course, the centralized system has to wait a long time to come your hot water but has the advantage of being continuous temperature fluctuations, "said Marian Constantin Vasile.
He says that's the Colterm try using geothermal water and solar thermal energy production. The company also takes into account the construction of the plant in the north of the city, an area which suffers from transmission and distribution system.
"However, we plan to make a pumping station somewhere in the middle of Timisoara that, taking the middle to pump harder in the north, so that the whole process to be effective," concludes President AMET.
