Fraunhofer Center for International Management and Knowledge Economy IMW
The implementation of the German government’s energy strategy requires the active involvement of the relevant stakeholders, particularly at the regional level. In this context, improving the energy efficiency of buildings is one of the key challenges – a challenge that is also being confronted by the city of Leipzig. Experience shows that a regional energy agency can make a significant contribution in identifying potential ways to save energy and use renewable energy sources. An agency of this kind often serves as a point of contact for a free initial consultation and for perfectly tailored referrals to expert professionals in the region.
In a joint project by Fraunhofer IMW and the University of Leipzig's Research Center Local Energy Management, a concept is being developed for establishing a regional energy agency specializing in the energy efficiency of buildings, taking into consideration the advisory services that already exist. Besides the analysis of possible areas of activity for the energy agency, scenarios are being created regarding the agency’s organizational structure, legal form and geographic boundaries. In addition, sustainable financing options for a regional energy agency involving regional stakeholders are being highlighted, based on the experiences of similar projects in Germany and the latest research findings.