The objective of the project is to “Empower” SMEs to undergo energy audits and implement their proposals. A holistic methodology has been chosen to address different barriers based on three dimensions, i.e. Individual, Organizational and Institutional. The first concerns the design and delivery of an integrated Education & Training (E&T) programme targeting energy related SME staff, of 5 ECTS/EQF 6. At least 720 experts will be trained. The E&T programme will focus on financial and technical data required to prove that specific measures are cost-effective, while the trainees will apply their acquired knowledge to at least 160 pilot installations as practical action. This is connected with the second dimension targeting SME decision makers. In-house short trainings for decision makers of grouped SMEs according to their specificities will be delivered, during the practical action in pilots, by both partners and trainees. Such short trainings will be delivered to operational personnel as well, a total of at least 800 SME persons. Finally, the third dimension relates to targeted workshops where both SME decision makers and stakeholders from entities able to finance energy projects will come together and interact based on the real data provided from pilots, aiming to bridge the gap between energy audits and actual financing of measures. In addition, 4 long lasting training tools will be developed:
- an advanced training handbook in 7 languages
- a web platform for energy analytics
- a tool for Monitoring & Targeting
- a tool for Measurement & Verification.
The above activities will bring significant and validated energy savings in SMEs, and establish suitable energy culture. We estimate that SMEmPower’s actions will result in 24.87 GWh/year primary energy savings and trigger at least 4 mil € of investments. SMEmPower will involve several market actors and multiplier organizations, either as members of Advisory Group, or as participants in various activities.
Short term: SMEmPower Efficiency will ensure that barriers to energy efficiency projects are removed for an uptake of energy efficiency projects by decision triggering of the teaming between energy professionals and decision makers, as SMEmPower Efficiency trainees experts, SME consulting companies, financing entities and ESCOs, relevant associations and especially industrial professional or patronal associations.
Medium term: SMEmPower Efficiency will enable better implementation of energy-efficiency policies and enhance the digitalization of industry towards the fourth industry revolution.
Long term: SMEmPower Efficiency will be a strongly promoted, enabling and supporting the Energy experts to use effective tools for energy optimization, new technologies and processes driven by energy efficiency, in a close and improved connection with top decision makers –CEOs, CFOs etc.
LIST OF PARTNERS
 | AUTH – Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (Coordinator) | (EL) |
 | TEES – Teesside University | (UK) |
 | SGZ – Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Stajerska | (SI) |
 | UTC – Universitatea Tehnica Cluj-Napoca | (RO) |
 | OEB – Cyprus Employers and Industrialists Federation | (CY) |
 | SERVELECT – Servelect SRL | (RO) |
 | ENERGIADA – EnerGia-Da | (IT) |
 | UPV – Universidad Politécnica De Valencia | (ES) |
 | adelphi – Adelphi Research Gemeinnützige Gmbh | (DE) |
 | UOWM – University of Western Macedonia | (EL) |
The objectives of SMEmPower Efficiency are consistent with those of the call, with the overarching theme to increase the capacity of European SMEs to undergo energy audits and implement standard and innovative energy saving measures using the variety of available financing tools and options. Specifically we aim to:
- Empower the knowledge and skills of at least 720 energy experts of SMEs (Energy Managers, Energy Auditors, Environmental Managers, Energy Efficiency professionals, etc).
- Create and implement one (1) E&T programme for energy professionals in 8 countries, under the European Qualification Framework (EQF), based on common learning outcomes of Level 6.
- Certify the course using each country’s formal procedure by assigning ECTS credits to reflect the participant’s expected workload, using the success model of MEnS H2020 project (https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/649773).
- Enable cross-country cooperation and utilization of acquired credits, through agreed sustainability plans, and employing the models of EUREM and CEM energy management programmes.
- Develop and release one (1) online energy management platform that will enhance the delivery of the proposed E&T programme, allow users to actively apply their own energy management data, disseminate pilot actions, and enable international cooperation and communication between participants, in the frame of Industry 4.0 digitalization. Connect with the EEFIGs De-risking Energy Efficiency Platform (DEEP).
- Develop and make available from the web platform 2 specialized tools on Monitoring & Targeting (M&T) and Measurement & Verification (M&V). Apply these tools in the E&T programme to quantify energy and monetary savings, apply financial indicators to assess the opportunity of investments, perform sensitivity analysis on proposed solutions and persistence of savings, based on energy analytics.
- Deliver the E&T programme with an integrated approach; using the energy management web platform and portal, focusing on use of M&T and M&V energy analytics tools and on practical action in pilot sites.
- Provide training & promotion of this free online energy management platform, for at least 720 energy professionals. Users will upload online or offline energy data and receive added value information about potential savings, correlation with influence factors and M&T, evidence of achieved energy savings and M&V, according to the International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol (IPMVP).
- Provide, during the project’s period, energy surveys, technical assistance and concrete energy savings proposals in at least 160 selected SMEs pilot sites, in order to effectively implement energy management techniques and instruments (M&T, M&V) and achieve validated energy savings.
- Deliver short trainings to SME decision makers, group according to their specificities, during the practical action in pilot sites, using the trained professionals and instructors. Also, deliver in-house short awareness training in pilot sites to all personnel, using the trained professionals and instructors, as a means to multiply the impact of the E&T programme. All these to at least 800 SME decision makers and staff.
- Bring together SME decision makers and relevant stakeholders, mainly from financing entities, in organized targeted workshops, in order to accelerate implementation of proposed energy saving measures.
- Promote and facilitate the access to the web platform and its tools to all interested energy professionals.
- Promote the empowering of Energy Experts and energy & monetary saving results of the SMEmPower Efficiency project through the web portal and at least 24 national or international seminars, workshops.
- Establish and transfer valuation mechanisms of M&V tools to, at least, 15 energy efficiency related associations, national and transnational Energy Agencies.
- Keep connected to the energy management web platform, at least, 720 energy experts as direct Beneficiaries of the project (at the end of the project and for at least 5 years after project’s completion).
- Present financing solutions and facilitate connection with different local or European ESCOs, financing institutions and other interested parties and energy efficiency business to all target group and beyond.
- Facilitate the connection with over 5000 energy professionals through the web platform.
- Initiate a wide media promotion, through the SMEmPower Efficiency web platform, newsletters, press releases and case studies, of E&T activities impacting more than 500,000 viewers.
- Continue to offer the E&T programme for at least 5 years after the end of the project based on concrete sustainability plans including the share of the training courses in national networks.
- Prove all achieved energy and monetary savings through the use and reporting of effectively applied M&V tools by the involved energy professionals and case studies.
- Update at least 10 Sustainable Energy Action Plans (SEAP) of Municipalities/regions participating in the Covenant of Mayors initiative, adopting the main results and recommendation of the project.
- Enhance the energy efficiency of at least 80 pilot sites and accelerate the active and intelligent energy management, resulting in approximately 18 GWh/year primary energy savings.
- Overall, obtain primary energy savings of at least 24 GWh/year and trigger investments of at least €4 m.
This project has received funding from
the European Union’s Horizon 2020
research and innovation programme
under grant agreement No : 847132