E3G hosted a seminar entitled “Financing Energy Efficiency: a practical guide for policymakers", which took place on November 6th 2012 (9.30h to 17.00h) at the Permanent Representation of Cyprus to the EU at 61 Avenue de Cortenbergh in Brussels.
The seminar took a very practical look at some of the more innovative large scale financial instruments developed to date and assess the challenges involved in securing different sources of finance (public and private) for energy efficiency investments..
Morning session
The morning session was opened by Seán Kelly MEP, followed by Marie Donnelly, Director of Energy Efficiency and Innovation at DG Ener, provided an update on the Energy Efficiency Directive and on the forthcoming report on financing energy efficiency in buildings.
Following that, we heard from several successful larger scale projects that have emerged from across the EU. The speakers provided an insight in what had to be done to secure both national and European funding, highlighting successful attempts to draw down Structural Funds and blend with other sources of finance to support projects.
A panel discussion rounded off the morning session. It focused on the role of bottom-up regional efforts to meet national energy efficiency targets, and the role that national government can play in creating an enabling environment to allow investment to flow.
Afternoon session
The afternoon session was hosted by Claude Turmes MEP and the focus was on innovation in financial products. This session explored in detail three different structures developed by public banks in the EU.
This was followed by a broader panel discussion focused on the forward role of public funding, especially around technical assistance, in supporting the development of demand for energy efficiency. It also explored the interplay between public and private financing – hearing from the UK’s new private sector financing vehicle the Green Deal Finance Company and asking the question: could this ever be a fully privately funded sector for investment?
Organisations with speakers included EBRD, EIB, KredEx, KfW Bankengruppe, Green Deal Finance Company, Bulgarian Housing Association, Aedes and L’Union Sociale pour L’habitat.
