MAPPING OBJECTS SUITABLE FOR RENEWABLE ENERGY - Enviros

Preparation of a municipal action plan for the use of renewable energy, as well as determining the potential of the Municipality of Karposh for the use of solar energy, were the main topics of conversation at the meeting of the Mayor of Karposh, Stefan Bogoev with Katerina Maneva Mitrovik, Strahinja Mladenović and Matej Brestovsky from ENVIROS from Slovakia.

Mayor Bogoev and the head of the Department for Energy Efficiency, Ljupcho Dimov talked about the policies that Karposh Municipality undertakes in the part of using renewable energy sources. The local self-government is in the process of installing hybrid collectors at the new kindergarten in Bardovci, and from 2021 all public lighting will be energy-efficient.

The ENVIROS team was in November 2020 on a week visit to Karposh to prepare a “Municipal Renewable Energy Action Plan“, a project supported by Slovak Challenge Fund via UNDP, ENVIROS, s.r.o. and the SlovakAid – Slovak Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs. Field visits to municipal facilities (urban communities, kindergartens and schools) will determine suitable locations for the use of solar plants. ENVIROS will be supported by the local team as well, Prof. Dimitar Dimirov of Ss. Cyril and Methodius University, Skopje and CeProSARD, non-governmental organization.

Bogoev also mentioned that the local self-government, in cooperation with the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering and the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, has already prepared a study, which promotes energy cooperatives as an opportunity for more stakeholders, citizens and communities of owners to unite and produce energy.

However, it is necessary to change the legislation in order to stimulate the whole community to be part of this process, and not only the larger companies, said Bogoev.

The project team emphasized the proactive approach of the Municipality of Karposh in the process of project application and use of funds from European funds, but also from the donor community as a whole. In this way, other municipalities and institutions are motivated to follow the positive approach.

(source: Municipality of Karposh)