Ferizaj, June 18, 2023
Today, Kosovo’s Prime Minister Albin Kurti attended the inauguration ceremony to mark the completion of the energy efficiency measures implementation project at the “Bill Clinton” Sports Hall in Ferizaj, an investment worth close to 500,000 EUR that was carried out by the Kosovo Energy Efficiency Fund in cooperation with the Ferizaj Municipality.
The Prime Minister initially noted the advantages of electrical efficiency, emphasizing that the Energy Strategy, and notably electricity efficiency increase, is one of the principal objectives of the Government. This is also due to the fact that our state has an electrical intensity three times higher than the member states of the European Union.
In this regard, Prime Minister Kurti revealed that we have started numerous projects focused on boosting energy efficiency totaling 30 million EUR. The value of such 90 investments implemented in 22 municipalities has exceeded 12 million EUR from the Energy Efficiency Fund, with an expected savings of 65% or more than 21 GWh/year.
Since household has the most potential for reducing energy consumption, last year we started piloting our first energy efficiency measures program in this sector, involving investments worth 6 million EUR, from which 10,000 citizens have benefited. From this success, the Prime Minister said that we will plan another investment worth 30 million EUR, which is made possible by the European Commission from the IPA Emergency Energy Funds.
Meanwhile, for the renovation of the Sports Hall in Ferizaj with a surface area of almost 3,000 m2 and a capacity of 1,800 seats, the Prime Minister said that it will have a positive impact on the environment, will reduce energy costs, and will greatly improve the internal comfort of the building and influence the well-being of athletes and sports lovers.
It is estimated that these measures of energy efficiency will result in energy savings of around 52% of base consumption, that is more than half. At the same time, they will have positive impacts both on the environment and on the athletes, with the replacement of the heating system with fossil fuels to the one with biomass,” added the Prime Minister, believing that our athletes will be provided with optimal conditions for the development of their sporting skills and achieving their goals,
In the end, the Prime Minister reiterated again that the Government remains committed to investments in energy efficiency measures, as they help in the path towards a green transition, promote sustainable practices and clean energy sources.
Prime Minister Kurti’s full speech:
Honorable Artane Rizvanolli, Minister of Economy in the Republic of Kosovo,
Honorable Agim Aliu, Mayor of Ferizaj Municipality,
Honorable Ahmet Ismajli, Director of the Kosovo Efficiency Fund,
Honorable Massimiliano Paolucci, from the World Bank,
Honorable Alessandro Biancardi, from the European Union Office,
Honorable directors,
Ladies and gentleman,
Athletes, youth,
Honorable attendees,
I am delighted to take part today in the inauguration ceremony for the completion of the implementation project of energy efficiency measures in “Bill Clinton” Sports Hall in Ferizaj.
Efficiency of energy does not simply mean to lower energy consumption. In addition to reducing financial costs for families and our economy, energy efficiency also impacts the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and the decrease in electricity imports.
In our country, the energy intensity is about three times higher than in comparison to the member states of the European Union. This means that to produce one unit of GDP, we spend three times more energy.
For our Government, one of our main goals is to increase investments in energy efficiency. We have demonstrated this even with the setting of ambitious targets in our Energy Strategy, which has now been approved by the Assembly of the Republic.
So far, we have undertaken a number of energy efficiency-oriented projects, amounting to 30 million EUR, which have been mainly focused on the public sector. Only from the Energy Efficiency Fund, over the last two years, the value of investments has exceeded 12 million EUR and includes 90 projects in 22 municipalities. More than half of them have already been completed and the rest are expected to be completed this year, with an expected savings of 65% or more than 21 GWh/year energy.
Considering the fact that the highest energy consumers are the residential sector, respectively households, we have seen that this sector also has the highest potential for reducing energy consumption. Last year we have started piloting the first energy efficiency program measures for the residential sector, involving investments worth 6 million EUR, from which 10 thousand citizens have benefited.
The success of this program has enabled us to plan a large investment in the residential sector, worth 30 million EUR, an investment made possible thanks to the European Commission from the funds of the IPA Emergency Energy Funds.
We are here in the Sports Hall which has an area of around 3,000 m2 and is used by over 35 sports clubs in the city and beyond, with a capacity of 1,800 seats. Thousands is the number of beneficiaries from this investment, both direct and indirect beneficiaries, which benefit the sports and cultural life. The renovation of such a large sports hall will have a positive impact on the environment, will reduce energy costs, and will greatly improve the indoor comfort of the building and affect the wellbeing of the athletes and sports fans alike.
The most important thing from this investment is that our athletes will be provided with optimal conditions for the development of their sports skills and the achievement of their goals, with increasingly better results.
This investment was carried out by the Kosovo Energy Efficiency Fund, via a good collaboration with the Municipality of Ferizaj, and is worth around 500 thousand EUR (484,626.70 €).
It is estimated that these measures of energy efficiency will result in savings of around 52% of the base consumption, thus more than half. At the same time, they will have positive impacts both on the environment and athletes, by replacing the heating system with combustible fuel oil to that with biomass. Less consumption and expenditure of energy leads to a cleaner and healthier environment.
In conclusion, I would like to say that, as Government, as institutions, together with partners and donors, we are committed to investments in energy efficiency measures. We see them as an essential element of our energy strategy that helps us on our common path towards a green transition, promotes sustainable practices and clean energy sources.s.
Thank you and enjoy!
Last modified: June 22, 2023