Energy Agency of Plovdiv will present a Virtual Observatory for Energy, Environment and Climate for the Municipalities
Interview with Liyana Adjarova
Mrs. Adjarova, the Energy Agency of Plovdiv is an exhibitor at Smart Cities. What will you present at the event?
The Energy Agency of Plovdiv will present its last projects and initiatives in the field of energy, environment and climate. We will present integration of innovative technologies for urban energy management and monitoring and will demonstrate its software features. We will show for the first time in public a Virtual Observatory for energy, environment and climate for the municipalities and its features for integration with other databases in real time, i.e. air quality databases. We will present our services and consultations offered by the Laboratory for research and testing of solid biofuels, compost and biodegradable waste.
We will offer intriguing materials for experts and the wide public on the topics of energy consumption and production and the impact our energy behavior has on climate and environment.
What possibilities does the new program period for 2014-2020 offer in the area of sustainable development and what programmes can companies apply for? What consulting services do you offer?
During the new programming period, the Energy Agency of Plovdiv will support the Bulgarian municipalities, businesses and SMEs in the development and implementation of their projects for the national funding programmes. We conduct energy and environmental analysis and energy planning, modelling and prognosis. To support the local authorities we develop air quality management programmes, energy efficiency and renewable energy sources action plans and strategies, waste management programmes. We perform energy audits, energy renovation planning, introduction of ISO 50 001 in SMEs. For the Smart Cities we develop concepts for energy management and monitoring and concepts for bioregions. Accredited to ISO 17025, the Laboratory for research and testing of solid biofuels, compost and biodegradable waste develops new technologies for utilization of biodegradable waste for the businesses, performs morphological analysis for the municipalities.
The Energy agency of Plovdiv offers services for enterprises in Innovation and Competitiveness, Environment and Regions in Growth operational programmes.
How do citizens, municipalities and state administration in our country contribute to the creation of more efficient and ecological cities and power industry? Can you describe what has been achieved in these areas in Bulgaria so far and what the future challenges will be?
Bulgarian cities face the global challenges of energy supply and climate change and are set in line with the development of the smart European cities.
We strive towards the biggest innovations and we support the Bulgarian cities that are ambitious and motivated to develop as Smart Cities. The Energy Agency of Plovdiv has already made the first step in this direction – we have developed a Smart City solution that is implemented in the pilot city of Plovdiv. We have established an energy management and monitoring system covering 18 residential and 11 public buildings that has been fully operational since 2015 and will prove its effectiveness and efficiency in 2016. Undoubtedly, the integration of the smart management systems will lead to energy savings and increased comfort, better management of energy costs and more precision decentralized energy production planning. To supplement this system, the Energy Agency of Plovdiv has developed and is now validating a Virtual Observatory for Energy, Environmental and Climate for the municipalities. The Observatories includes databases for energy consumption and production, wastes, air quality, that will be available to all Bulgarian municipalities and will be beneficial for development and monitoring of municipal action plans and strategies.
Please share with us some of the results of the Energy Agency of Plovdiv’s recently realized projects and what your plans are for 2016.
The Energy Agency of Plovdiv is an established partner in the field of energy and environmental analysis on municipal, regional and national level. Its expertise is built in 60 European projects, which makes its services and activities in Bulgaria pioneering, innovative and of high standard.
In 2016, the Energy Agency of Plovdiv will continue to develop and expand the Laboratory for research and testing of solid biofuels, compost and biodegradable waste. We will present to the energy experts and local authorities the software product “Virtual Observatory for energy, environment and climate”.
The Energy Agency of Plovdiv will consult and support the Bulgarian municipalities and enterprises in the development and implementation of their projects.
