Objectives and Targets of the Event

More than 250 energy agencies throughout Europe have so far been created with Community support through the SAVE programme. From the experience gained, the Energy Unit of the European Commission Directorate-General for Energy and Transport now has an overview on the reasons for success or failure of the energy management agencies.

Financial support for the creation of the agencies is not always enough to ensure their successful operation and the continuity of the agency after the finalisation of the Community support. Other types of support are needed and required by the agencies. The Intelligent Energy-Europe programme and the ManagEnergy initiative are devised to be key tools to provide complementary support to the energy agencies for achieving more and better results in their activities. One of the key elements of this initiative is the provision of training to the agencies in those topics that are most needed.

We are very much aware that the success of an energy agency depends greatly on the skills of its Director and competent staff. Training in management of agencies becomes then a most relevant topic to energy agencies, with an even more particular interest for recently created agencies.