European Conference on Local Energy Action
The 4th Annual Event for Energy Management Agents in Europe
Optimising local action to drive sustainable energy and transport in the Europe of Twenty-Five
20-21 October 2004, Brussels, Belgium and Live on the Internet

Conference Conclusions
Internet Broadcast Video Recordings
Interviews
Presentations 
Round Table Summary Chat Transcripts
Photograph Gallery

Evaluate the Internet Broadcast

Background Information
Full Chat Transcripts

Download List of Participants (70 Kb PDF)

Summary Conclusions
Alfonso González Finat, Conference Chair

With the price of oil hovering around 50$ a barrel and the Kyoto protocol soon to be ratified, the importance of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources is growing by the day, and strengthening our efforts in favour of renewable energies and energy efficiency is one of the most promising ways to include energy in the Lisbon strategy.

Local actors are strongly urged, again by this conference, to insist on 'having their say' in European Union policymaking on development of renewable energy sources and the rational use of energy in Europe, providing feedback to the European institutions as regards upcoming initiatives, in their role as the "laboratories" for new EU policies.

From the European Parliament's side Ms. Mechthild Rothe, MEP encouraged local actors, for the energy services Directive, as one example, to provide feedback in this way, but also to support and create demand themselves for energy services, and to put forward their local and regional points of view on this legislation. The same applies to all new energy policies, including Ms. Rothe's suggestion of a Directive on renewable heating and cooling.

Local actors must also play a key role also in the implementation "on the ground" of the adopted European legislation. On the supply side, local energy agencies can help ensure that renewable electricity is given non-discriminatory access to local grids. The Commission has repeatedly stressed the need to re-balance supply policy by clear action in favour of a demand management policy, the latest legislative applications of this principle being the Directive on the energy performance of buildings, and the draft Directive on energy services and end-use efficiency.

The buildings sector accounts for 40% of the EU's energy requirements, and offers the largest single potential for energy efficiency. Several presentations at the conference confirmed that major savings can be achieved, especially, and at a higher level of cost-effectiveness, in the new Member States where the energy performance of buildings is often (substantially) lower than in EU-15.

Energy certification of buildings as provided for in the Directive is another way to make owners and tenants conscious of the energy performance of their building. Households can be very sensitive to this issue if it is presented adequately, if not by certification as in the case of buildings of over 1000 sq metres, for example by effective publicity on local (airborne) infra-red thermography, whereby occupants can see a graphic picture of the actual energy losses from their dwellings.

The Conference Chairman proposed to the audience of leading local representatives to start already in 2005 with the certification of their own (energy agencies') building, and if possible the public buildings in the municipality or other local community, placing the energy performance certificates in prominent places clearly visible to the public, thus providing leadership by example. DG Energy & Transport could help with material and support for these operations via the Managenergy initiative. Local authorities were encouraged to "green" their purchasing procedures as far as possible and make use of co-ordinated/collective public procurement, following the recently issued Commission guidelines on environmental public procurement.

The transport sector uses 30% of EU energy consumption. Transport demand has grown continuously over recent decades and is predicted to continue to increase, even more significantly, as the new Member States become more closely aligned with those of the EU. The problems which this is causing for the urban environment, and for fulfilment of the Kyoto target are increasingly visible. For the period 2005-2010 initiatives are planned on: the tarification of transport infrastructure based on real costs and, along the same lines, a tax on kerosene (jet fuel).

Agencies can play a key role in triggering local change towards sustainable transport, supporting implementation of the relevant policies and activities to save energy and sharing best practice, with the support also of Commission initiatives such as CIVITAS. The competence of staff working in the local agencies will need to be extended to these fields, in order to support the efforts of the relevant local actors. The STEER part of the Intelligent Energy - Europe programme is designed to support such capacity building.

The 2003 Call for proposals of the Intelligent Energy - Europe programme has attracted promising projects from all over Europe, with encouragingly rising involvement of local energy agencies.

A keynote speaker stressed the difficulties of which local actors often complain as regards grant application processing, and which needs urgent attention. Capacity building to help local actors in submitting good proposals, especially those in the new Member States, was a priority. The EU structural funds are a potentially large further source of funding for sustainable energy activities, and priorities for these funds and those for the transport and energy sectors were seen to converge. For the forthcoming financial perspectives period, 2007-2013, it is are proposed that the structural funds be allocated as much as one third of the entire EU budget, to be allocated according to specific priorities. Therefore local actors were strongly urged at the conference to start dialogue with their authorities, to ensure that renewables and energy efficiency are maintained securely on the agenda in their regions. When submitting proposals it was crucial to emphasise the other benefits of energy efficiency investments, on the environment and employment for instance.

The promotion of funding these success stories and of successful past projects is a priority for ManagEnergy and DG energy and trtansport in general. Dissemination has been greatly improved in recent years but more can be done. The ManagEnergy web site receives up to 60,000 visitors per month, and over 40,000 visitors have watched videos on the site since the last conference in November 2003. The communicative approach is, and must continue to be, 'holistic', integrating both renewables and energy efficiency, while promoting the other social, economic and environmental benefits of a sustainable energy strategy.

The conference conclusions also included the following priorities:

1. To address the general public, a public awareness campaign will start in 2005.
   
2. Co-operation facilities and common services for the network of energy agencies and other energy local actors would be strengthened. Thematic networks of agencies, exchange of good practice, and more widespread use of web and streaming facilities, as in the ManagEnergy initiative since 2002, could feature among these improvements.
   
3. Lastly, action dealing with energy education is also a priority for the next year, aiming at closer links with education authorities in order to ensure the introduction of conscious energy behaviour as part of the curricula. Energy and education will be a priority in the continuation of ManagEnergy where a "Kids Corner" will be launched.

Download the full conclusions (21Kb PDF)

Languages:

Video Recordings - Day 1

Video Recordings - Day 2

The conference was broadcast live on the Internet in multiple languages (English, German, French, Italian and Polish) and video recordings are now available on the ManagEnergy Internet Broadcast Website (click on the links above).

About 20 virtual interviews were conducted with key speakers and conference participants. Individual speeches will also be made available in the speaker gallery.

If you wish, we would like to encourage you to organise a local media-conference at your home facilities for people you believe could learn and benefit from the conference, but are unable to travel to the event. You can indicate your interest in organising a local media-event on the local media-conference registration form.

Interviews

Interviews of speakers and participants took place during the event. Video recordings of interviews are now available on the Internet Broadcast website.

The Interviewer was: Maria Font de Matas - Maria is a freelance journalist for among others the following Spanish newspapers. La Verdad, Las Provincias, El Norte De Castilla. Maria also often works for Euronews (European Info Channel). She speaks English, Spanish and French fluently.

Energy Education in Schools
Crispin Webber North East London Energy Efficiency Advice Centre, UK
Energy Education in Schools - Learning by Having Fun
Liv Randi Lindseth ENOK Energi, Norway

Management of Energy Agencies
Gerry Wardell City of Dublin Energy Management Agency, Outgoing Reflection Group Chairperson
Boris Papousek Graz Energy Agency, Incoming Reflection Group Chairperson

Training for Energy Auditors in the Building Sector
Kostas Konstantinou Regional Energy Agency of Central Macedonia, Greece

The Impact of Legislation on Sustainability in Europe, and Changing Attitudes to Energy through Education
Mechthild Rothe MEP

Structural Fund Implementation and the role of Local Energy Actors
Eddy Hartog Head of Unit for Thematic Development and Impact, Directorate-General for Regional Policy, European Commission

The Role of Regions in Sustainable Energy and Transport
Michael Geissler European Federation of Regional Energy and Environment Agencies (FEDARENE)

The ClearContract Project and Energy Performance Contracting in the East of Europe
Ralf Goldman Berlin Energy Agency, Germany

Progress of the EU Energy Agency Analysis
Marcello Antinucci Energy Agency Modena, Italy

Key goals for Sustainable Transport in Europe and the continued role of energy agencies in Local Energy Action
Eleni Kopanezou Head of Unit for Clean Transport and Sustainable Development, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport

Biomass and Transport Issues in South East Sweden and across Europe
Hans Gulliksson South East Energy Agency, Sweden

The PowerPoint presentations made during the conference can be downloaded (as Adobe Acrobat PDF files) by clicking on the links in the following section. Presentations are listed in the same order as the conference programme. Additional links provide access to ManagEnergy case studies, as well as more information about MEPs.

The chat room was open throughout the event for discussion between online participants and submission of questions for speakers and question and answer sessions. In addition, two Interactive Chats were organised, one in conjunction with each Round Table. The Round Table Summary Chat Transcripts are available below.

Video Recordings

	Conference Chair - Alfonso González Finat, Director for New Sources of Energy, Demand Management and Sustainable Development, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, European Commission
	Introduction Alfonso González Finat, Conference Chair
	European energy and transport policy: Achievements and challenges François Lamoureux, Director General for Energy & Transport, European Commission
	Address Michel Delebarre, former Minister of State, Mayor of Dunkirk and President of the 'Communauté Urbaine', Deputy in the National Assembly [34Kb PDF] | [35Kb PDF]
	The New Expanding European Union Andreas Herdina, Head of Unit, Directorate C, Neighbourhood Policy, Directorate-General for Enlargement, European Commission [701Kb PDF]
	Intelligent Energy - Europe Programme Günther Hanreich, Director for Trans-European Energy & Transport Networks, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, European Commission [243Kb PDF]
	Planning towards structural fund implementation in energy & transport, 2007-13 Eddy Hartog, Head of Unit, Directorate-General for Regional Policy, European Commission [283Kb PDF]

	Mechthild Rothe Member of the European Parliament (MEP)
	Gérard Magnin Director, Energie-Cités
	Gordon J Adam North East Energy Forum, former Member of the European Parliament (MEP)
	Eddy Hartog Head of Unit, Directorate-General for Regional Policy, European Commission
	Karl Kellner Head of Unit for Management of RTD energy programmes
	Jean-Marie Bemtgen, Desk Officer for Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) and Intelligent Energy - Europe (IEE) programmes, Unit D3, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, European Commission

Conference participants in Brussels and on the Internet

A simultaneous Round Table took place on the Internet - see Interactive Chat for more details

Question & Answer Session

Summary Chat Transcript

	Chair: Luc Werring, Head of Unit for Regulatory Policy and Promotion of New Energies and Demand Management, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, European Commission
	Co-Chair: Mikko Ahonen, Director, National Association of Finnish Energy Agencies, Finland (member of ManagEnergy Reflection Group)
	The Barcelona Solar thermal ordinance David Ruyet, Project Area Manager, Barcelona Energy Agency, Spain This project is a Case Study on the ManagEnergy website [568Kb PDF]
	CAKES - Calderdale & Kirklees Energy Savers Philippa Reynolds, Kirklees Energy Service, UK This project is a ManagEnergy Good Practice Case Study [154Kb PDF]
	OPET Building - A network in the Building Area: Experiences and Results Ingrid Bauer, BIT - the Bureau for International Research and Technology Cooperation, Austria [525Kb PDF]
	European Energy Award Therese Glasmacher, Beratungs- und Service-Gesellschaft Umwelt mbH, Germany This project is a ManagEnergy Case Study [322Kb PDF]
Chat Transcript

 

	Chair: Pedro Ballesteros Torres, Unit for Promotion and Dissemination of Programme Results, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, European Commission
	Co-Chair: Zeno Winkels, Director, Delft Energy Agency, The Netherlands (member of ManagEnergy Reflection Group)
	The FEE-project “Force for energy by children” Eddy Deruwe, Director, ABEA - Brussels Energy Center, Belgium This project is a ManagEnergy Good Practice Case Study [1454Kb PDF]
	Secondary Schools Energy Awareness Programme Neil Foley, Technical Officer, Wexford Energy Management Agency, Ireland This Case Study is under evaluation to become ManagEnergy Good Practice [529Kb PDF]
	Learning by having fun Liv Randi Lindseth, Director of Public Relations, Norsk Enok og Energi AS, Norway This project is being submitted for evaluation as a ManagEnergy Good Practice Case Study [1467Kb PDF]
Location	Languages
Room S2

	Chair: Gonzalo Molina Igartua, Adviser, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, European Commission
	Co-Chair: Roman Doubrava, Chair, Energy Centre Bratislava, Slovakia (member of ManagEnergy Reflection Group)
	Effective Lighting in cities - a Latvian example Claudio Rochas, Project Manager, Ekodoma, Latvia This project is a ManagEnergy Good Practice Case Study [323Kb PDF]
	The Rõuge Energy Park for renewable energy sources Antti Roose, Project Manager, Rõuge Municipality, Estonia This project is a ManagEnergy Good Practice Case Study [1712Kb PDF]
	Integrated energy planning in new Member States - a Czech example Jaroslav Jakubes, Enviros, Czech Republic This project is a ManagEnergy Good Practice Case Study [498Kb PDF]
Location	Languages
Room S1
Chat Transcript

 

Summary of Parallel Sessions by the Chairs

	The Challenge for Energy Agencies: state of play and prospects Chair: Gerry Wardell, Outgoing Reflection Group Chairperson, ManagEnergy Reflection Group
	Opening Address Anders Wijkman Member of the European Parliament (MEP)
	Jeremy Smith Secretary General, Council of European Municipalities and Regions (CEMR)
	Michael Geissler Secretary General, FEDARENE replacing: Roger Léron, President, FEDARENE
	Claude Turmes Member of the European Parliament (MEP)
	David Hammerstein Member of the European Parliament (MEP)
	Luc Werring, Head of Unit for Regulatory Policy and Promotion of New Energies and Demand Management, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, European Commission
	William Gillett, Deputy Head of Unit for Management of RTD energy programmes, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, European Commission

Conference participants in Brussels and on the Internet

A simultaneous Round Table took place on the Internet - see Interactive Chat for more details

Question & Answer session

Summary Chat Transcript

The Chat Room was open throughout the conference, enabling online participants to discuss presentations and potential collaboration between themselves, as well as submit advance questions for the Question and Answer sessions. In addition, Interactive Chats took place in parallel with both Round Table sessions, as follows:

• Round Table Day 1
• Round Table Day 2

The Full Chat Transcript is also available on this site.

Interactive Chat Panel

Karl Kellner, Head of Unit for Management of RTD energy programmes, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, European Commission

Jean-Marie Bemtgen, Desk Officer for Sixth Framework Programme (FP6) and Intelligent Energy - Europe (IEE) programmes, Unit D3, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, European Commission

Randall Bowie, Unit for Regulatory Policy & Promotion of New Energies and Demand Management, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, European Commission

ManagEnergy Team

Diana Barbu	I would dare [another] question related to Mr. Hartog's presentation: I absolutely agree that priorities need to be set at local level and a good collaboration with local and national actors is essential. On the other hand it could also delay action and in particular SMEs who have encountered difficulties in accessing EU funds. So my question is: How does Mr. Hartog see the use of a part of structural/cohesion funds in risk capital financing?
Karl Kellner	Your question has been put to Mr. Hartog - he will get back to you. [Editor: You can hear his reply in the Internet Broadcast]
Dana Dutianu	Do you intend to establish specific actions targeted to Accession States?
Karl Kellner	Programmes (e.g. Framework Programme 6 on Research and Energy Intelligent - Europe) are open for participation from institutions from accession states - please consult www.cordis.lu and www.Managenergy.net
ManagEnergy	There is also a specific part in Intelligent Energy - Europe for creation of new energy agencies including in the candidate countries.
Dana Dutianu	Thank you. I know very well them... but I am interesting about "specific" actions.
Karl Kellner	Nothing specific is foreseen for the moment in these 2 programmes.
ManagEnergy	Mrs Rothe is currently answering your question. [Editor: You can hear the reply in the Internet Broadcast]
<umberto>	Do you have specific programmes to sustain investments on Waste to Energy particularly in the accession countries?
Karl Kellner	Regarding waste, the currently open 3rd call from DG TREN in FP6 [FP6-2004-TREN-3] invites proposals in this area with equal opportunities for all countries.
Degenhard Peisker	Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH, Germany
	There are opportunities for waste to energy in FP6: Investment, but only in context with innovation (research ...first demonstration).
<umberto>	Yes, I'm aware of opportunities in the WtE, but is not so easy to bring investors (Italian) to buy those opportunities without support (Examples: Poland, Romania, ..)
Degenhard Peisker	Could structural funds give support to technological transfer (including investment) to new Member States?
Diana Barbu	One comment to the ongoing discussion. We also need accurate data (including accurate assessment of market potentials).
Karl Kellner	Yes we agree but this is best done at local/regional level in the context of defining a strategy/plan/roadmap.
Diana Barbu	Yes. I fully agree with Mr. Kellner's statement. Based on my own experience, this is a recurrent issue. I believe that partly it can be solved by strengthening local capacity and partly has to do with energy statistics.

Full Chat Transcript

Interactive Chat Panel

David Hammerstein, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) [joining direct from Istanbul]

Claude Turmes, Member of the European Parliament (MEP) [joining direct from Istanbul]

Randall Bowie, Unit for Regulatory Policy & Promotion of New Energies and Demand Management, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, European Commission

William Gillett, Deputy Head of Unit for Management of RTD energy programmes, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, European Commission

Karl Kellner, Head of Unit for Management of RTD energy programmes, Directorate-General for Energy and Transport, European Commission

ManagEnergy Team

Claude Turmes	You can help our cause by lobbying at your local place for the important directives like minimum standards eco-design and the energy services directives, my mail for any questions is cturmes@europarl.eu.int
David Hammerstein	Yes, we need to get beyond the generally vague local agenda 21 objectives and integrate concrete energy objectives in areas of public procurement, transport and local building standards.
Buildings
David Hammerstein	One of the main problems in Spain is the lack of the mainstreaming of energy sustainability in urban planning question within the context of a tremendous building boom on the Mediterranean coast.
Internet Broadcast Help Desk	Is there a big difference between the planning of coastal building in Spain versus the planning in other Mediterranean countries?
David Hammerstein	The problems entailed in large tourist oriented building on the Med coast are similiar in other countries/ Little or no use of renewables/ Most of the homes are empty most of the year and are very energy intensive and resource intensive in general. Little local citizen participation and sustainable criteria go into these massive developments.
<IT_Luisa>	What do European institution do inside their buildings to save energy? What about lights left on in empty offices? Do you have presence detectors?
William Gillett	We do certainly have energy savings control systems in our DG TREN offices. If my Director finds our lights on after hours, then we are in trouble personally. The systems are even more sophisticated in the new Berlaymont, where we are auditing energy performance.
Wind Power
Irene, UNYSA	United Nations Youth and Student Association of Austria
	The whole problem though in Austria at the moment is that the government in Austria is cutting spending on eco-energy dramatically from 125 million EURO to 17 million EURO and is targeting especially to cut on wind power plants. This is very sad when considering that Austria lacking behind on its Kyoto Protocol targets. So it is very difficult to talk about local energy initiatives when governments are cutting finances in general starting in the first place.
Randall Bowie	Denmark had the same problem. When the new government was finally convinced of the many commercial, export and environmental advantages of continuing to support its wind power industry, it re-instated a number of its support programes. Generally speaking, private industry can also be activated when the technology is approaching profitability.
Karl Kellner	Regarding the situation in Austria, the new government decision ( subject to Parliament approval) foresees that in addition to the budget in 2004 ( 104 M€) 17 M€ annually will be provided for support of renewables until 2010, which will result in a doubling of the total support by 2010.
ManagEnergy	A big problem in the UK is approval for wind - usually on environmental grounds - even though most of the environmental lobby groups (such as Friends of the Earth) support the turbines.
William Gillett	The feedback from our wind demonstration projects suggests that local communities which have wind farms and have been involved in the developments (with financial cash back to the community) are quite happy to have them.
David Hammerstein	More attention and research should be given to offshore wind parks to lessen opposition.
William Gillett	Our Communication COM 366 of May 2004 commits the Commission to further develop our policy for off-shore wind.
Claude Turmes	UK would also need a more stable investment climate, in-feed laws in Germany, Denmark and Spain have been at the very ground of the success, second was taking on board the local communities.
David Hammerstein	This is true. Participation in all stages is the key.
William Gillett	Local energy agencies can have a key role in ensuring that the communities get their fair share of the benefits from wind power developments.
ManagEnergy	It is often not the community that does not want them, but there are other pressures from people with vested interests for them not to be approved.
David Hammerstein	What kind of vested interests.
ManagEnergy	Other sources of energy, other uses for the land, ...
Diana Barbu	Researcher, University of Oldenburg, Germany
	I tried to follow the discussion on internet on the wind power. I believe it is equally important to look at what happens in other stages of the process. For instance, in Portugal I read an article about the application procedure to build wind farms. The grid connection permits (which originally cost 3000E-4000E/MW are being resold for 100000E/MW. This is becoming a better business than building the wind mills.
Competitivity in the Energy Market
Claude Turmes	When 8 energy companies are controlling 80% of all electricity production than you can imagine that these companies have vested interests to keep new entrance out, therefore we need a stricter competition policy tackling market dominance.
Randall Bowie	Returning to the point made by Claude Turmes on the lack of competition on the electricity market, I read recently that it has become even more concentrated as three companies now own almost 90% of production capacity.
Claude Turmes	3 companies control 42% it is EDF, Eon, RWE they are taping in their decommissioning funds of their existing nuclear power plants to buy up other companies, the same companies are also very active in Eastern Europe.
Randall Bowie	Claude, the 90% figure was in a Commission report yesterday. I will check it and if it is correctly quoted, send the details.
David Hammerstein	Local authorities should be encouraged to form renewable companies to ensure stakeholder participation in face of just a few large firms controlling wind farms.
ManagEnergy	There is a similar problem for bio fuels, where any tax incentives, etc are objected to by big fuel companies on the basis of "anti-competitively".
ManagEnergy2	There seems to be no field in which misapprehensions have played a bigger role in allowing opposition based on unfamiliarity to build in local communities *until* of course as Bill [William Gillett] said, they actually get turbines and preferably the income from them: unless the info is very effective and promptly given, people go on thinking that there is noise, unacceptable loss of birds etc etc. mostly unfounded. The visual issue is of course something.
Consumer Demand for Green Energy and Liberalisation of the Energy Market
Diana Barbu	Another issue is the consumer awareness. It is my understanding that in the UK, despite the wealth of policies, utilities can go bust because there is no real demand from the consumer side for green energy.
<BE_Vaessen>	You think that accounts to awareness only?
ManagEnergy	I think the way it is sold is confusing - how can you buy green electricity when all electricity becomes centralised and hence the extra money does not immediately effect on how much green electricity is being generated. I think people are either cynical or uninterested in the UK - we are not convinced by "hype".
<BE_Vaessen>	I agree, just too bad the energy does not show it is green itself :-)
Diana Barbu	I guess the problem is rather in the fact at the moment consumers are concerned with security of supply and quality of services so unless we are able to show clearly what benefits green electricity has, consumers will not react so easily.
ManagEnergy	Education of the next generation is important in parallel with good design of new buildings, urban planning, support for home working and creation of "village" communities even in big cities.
Diana Barbu	I think what was anticipated was low costs for the end consumer, which indeed did not really happen, especially for the households.
ManagEnergy	You are always fighting against market forces and commercial pressures for profit.
Diana Barbu	Well, utilities became global players and they depend on capital markets.
<NLvaessen>	Why should the energy market be liberalised. One should not give citizens too much choice, simply because a citizen is not interested in being a market analyst, but a citizen is simply interested in a fair price.
Diana Barbu	How do you define fair?
<NLvaessen>	Fair in not comparing prices all day long, or looking for a new energy provider every year. I feel the liberation of the so called market is suffocating for many people...
Randall Bowie	To <NLvaessen> , I believe Anders W just answered your question. Liberalisation can provide benefits but only if it is provided with the right rules and regulations. [View the Internet Broadcast to hear Mr Wijkman's comments]
ManagEnergy	In the UK, I get telephone calls almost every day asking me to change my provider. Sometimes if you say "Yes I might be interested" they take this as "Yes" and change your provider. Most people have learnt to put their telephone down straight away..
Diana Barbu	I agree with the idea that we should not look for an energy provider every year but the Irish famine should have taught us a lesson: cheap prices are not always in the best interest for the large population. Not in times when we face resources scarcity. A monopoly if remains unchallenged may fail in reflecting reality sometimes.
<NLvaessen>	No that is true, cheap is not always better, but currently market liberalism seems to be less people friendly than anticipated.
<IT_Marco>	My idea is that we can do a lot with few and simply rules.
<NL_Peter>	I agree with <IT_Marco> that there is a need for transparent and clear rules.
William Gillett	Businesses must make a profit. Our public sector role is to find clever ways to regulate the market which permit profits to be made and the other policy objectives to be achieved at the same time.
ManagEnergy	This is difficult when it is a global market.
<IT_Marco>	You are right.
<NL_Peter>	I think profit and energy efficiency don't go well together.
<IT_Marco>	Without profit nothing is possible, but profit and environment are not so good friends. So I understand your difficulties Mr. Gillet.
William Gillett	I think most policy makers also have in mind the need to meet this balance / challenge.
Randall Bowie	To Marco, but if we lack sustainability, the profit will be pretty short term.
Diana Barbu	I agree with Mr. Gillet. However, profits are being made to meet stakeholder expectations. I wonder whether it is also important to be transparent and communicate to your stakeholders what are the issues at stake and adjust expectations accordingly?
William Gillett	Sometime we spend so much effort on being transparent here in Brussels that our efficiency suffers!
ManagEnergy	Do people who care about profit also care about the environment and energy efficiency?
Diana Barbu	If their Board of Directors and shareholders would care, I am sure the CEO would care as well.
Randall Bowie	To Diana, if you could include stockholders among your stakeholders, you might be able to make those who hold stock in an energy company that corporate responsibility includes the environment.
Diana Barbu	I think we are already doing so with projects which have community ownership.
<NL_Maas>	That is what funding is for isn't it?
Diana Barbu	Also we may need to improve the minority shareholder rights :-)
ManagEnergy	Involving the community and the "voter" is effective and so we come back to education... We have to get the next generation to care.
<NL_Peter>	Yes, education seems to be the keyword. But who should educate who?
ManagEnergy	We educate the children and they educate the current community and their children.
William Gillett	Yes, my kids try to teach me many things.
Local & Regional Action
Diana Barbu	Motivation of local actors is essential. Do the speakers think that municipalities should be independently evaluated on their value for money related to energy performance. A good credit rating for "commercial" loans (e.g. from EBRD, EIB, Environmental Partnership Fund, etc) will require socially responsible behaviour and therefore municipalities may want to get "greener" to get a better credit rating and therefore more access to grants and cheaper loans. As we are moving towards market mechanisms, this would encourage municipalities to take a more business-like approach.
David Hammerstein	Yes, there should be evaluations for credit rating and other financial aid.
ISLEnet	Small and isolated communities and in particular islands have a harder time mobilising in the context of FP6. I would like to know if there will be any initiatives focusing on island energy needs and specificities. I represent a network of local authorities and local energy agencies in islands in Europe. The answer should not only focus on funding on research but also accompanying measures, such as funding for establishing local policies, involving local actors, networking, meetings, raising of awareness. I would like to know if the Commission is thinking of having actions to help create in islands a culture of energy savings, renewables and in general sustainable communities. In a competitive environment small and isolated communities and in particular islands have a harder time mobilising in the context of FP6. I would like to know if there will be any initiatives focusing on island energy needs and specificities. I represent a network of local authorities and local energy agencies in islands in Europe.
William Gillett	FP6 demo' projects are of course open to islands, including the CONCERTO II call expected next June for Dec 2005 deadline.
	IEE call to be launched before Christmas will also open Sustainable Energy Communities Key Action [Editor: see the presentations from the Information Day]
David Hammerstein	Islands such as the Canary and the Balearic face very difficult energy problems in a finite territory and intense tourist influx. Specific FP7 studies should address this issue.
Energy Services and Transport
Claude Turmes	Mr Wijkman is right, we need a more ambitious target in the energy services Directive, the problem will be to win his colleagues from the conservative EP group. [View the Internet Broadcast to hear Mr Wijkman's comments]
William Gillett	I agree with Mr Wijkman - I don't like big 4 wheel drive cars!
<NL_Peter>	He has valid arguments, I have to agree :-)
Diana Barbu	I do not drive at all.
<NL_Maas>	In some cases you might have to. But I prefer public transport too.
ManagEnergy	Perhaps the answer is more encouragement for people to work from home - and introduction of more local facilities and fewer out-of-town multiplexes?
<IT_Marco>	Italian cities are full of this kind of cars.
Randall Bowie	Any comments on the proposal on mandatory emissions standards by Anders Wijkman? I expect to see some action soon.
David Hammerstein	Clear objectives in energy and urban transport should be adopted along the lines of the ProcuraPlus programme.
<IT_Luisa>	More than a question, an opinion: I do agree that big vehicles with disproportionate impact on the environment should pay much more for the extra unnecessary pollution they produce.
ManagEnergy	A big vehicle is appropriate if it is energy efficient and you are car sharing - so penalising all use could discourage people from this.
<IT_Luisa>	Circulation taxes should be proportional to KW, CO2 emitted and weight.
<NL_Peter>	Should type of fuel not be a part of the taxes?
<IT_Luisa>	.. and not related with energy, do not forget that they are more DANGEROUS.
David Hammerstein	Intermodality in transport sustainability and merchandise transport has been a total failure. This area of energy use has skyrocketed. A very important issue for local authorities is the establishment of more long term objectives in renewables beyond Kyoto. Businesses also need to plan toward the future/ The UE also should aim high and establish at least a 20% objective for 2020 as called upon by the EP.

Full Chat Transcript

	Crispin Webber of the North East London Energy Efficiency Advice Centre, UK, and Liv Randi Lindseth of ENOK Energi, Norway, are interviewed on Energy Education
	Outgoing Reflection Group Chair, Gerry Wardell, City of Dublin Energy Management Agency (right), shares the interview stand with the new Chair, Boris Papousek (left), Graz Energy Agency
	Delegates take their places prior to the opening session in the main conference room of the Charlemagne Building
	Eddy Hartog, Head of Unit for Thematic Development and Impact, Directorate-General for Regional Policy, European Commission, is interviewed by Maria Font de Matas
	Energy discussions on the new ManagEnergy exhibition stand
	Delegates study the Partner Search Board during the coffee break on Day One (by the end of Day Two, a third board had to be added to accomodate all the Partner Search forms !!)
	The panellists for the Day One Parallel Session on Municipal Action for Energy and Transport
	The exhibition area provided valuable opportunities for delegates to meet and network
	The Day One Parallel Session on New Member States also proved very popular
	Conference participants take the opportunity to meet potential project partners during the Evening Reception
	Conference participants during the Evening Reception
	Conference participants take the opportunity talk to European Commission staff
	The Evening Reception offered the opportunity for participants to networ
	Catrin Maby, Severn Wye Energy Agency (UK) talks to Hans Gulliksson, South East Energy Agency (Sweden)
	Conference participants take the opportunity to meet potential project partners and talk to European Commission staff
	Conference participants take the opportunity to talk to European Commission staff during the Energy & Transport DG Reception
	Priit Enok and Liv Randi Lindseth
	Conference participants and ManagEnergy staff on the ManagEnergy stand
	Alfonso González Finat and Gordon J Adam
	Conference participants take the opportunity to talk to European Commission staff
	Members of the ManagEnergy team during the Evening Reception