Eight workshops were organised in all the planning regions in Macedonia in the framework of the project “Promoting Energy Efficiency in Macedonian Municipalities” financed by the World Bank and implemented by the Strategic Development Consulting in cooperation with the Energy Agency. The workshops shared the results, experiences and tips from the drafting process of various documents which are important for the energy efficiency of the municipality (municipal energy efficiency programs, community action plans for EE, pre-feasibility studies, etc.), in the framework of the Energy Efficiency Program of the World Bank.

The program has been implemented for 18 months in the period 2014-2016 and aimed to increase the efficiency of energy usage in the municipalities in Macedonia by enhancing the capacity of local governments to identify and implement energy efficiency opportunities in the municipal sector.

NALAS representative took part in the workshops and familiarised participants with the e-learning course for utilizing the Tool for Rapid Assessment of City Energy (TRACE) which is designed to help cities quickly identify under-performing sectors, evaluate improvement and cost-saving potential, and prioritize sectors and actions for energy efficiency (EE) intervention.

TRACE consists of three modules: an energy benchmarking module which compares key performance indicators among peer cities, a sector prioritization module which identifies sectors that offer the greatest potential with respect to energy-cost savings, and an intervention selection module which functions like a “playbook” of tried-and-tested EE measures and helps select locally appropriate EE interventions. It is developed by World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP) and can be downloaded for free from http://esmap.org/TRACE. The e-learning course for using TRACE is delivered by the Association of Local Self-Government Units in the Republic of Macedonia (ZELS) and NALAS periodically, and all interested municipalities and participants are invited to contact ZELS and express their interest in the course.

A Guide will be prepared and distributed as a part of the project, which will aim to help local administration (Mayor, municipal council, EE manager, EE administrator etc.) step by step through the process of creation and implementation of efficient and effective energy efficiency program.