About MAES

General introduction

MISSION

We shall work towards more efficient use of natural resources, better quality of life in Ma?opolska Region and a cleaner environment.

STAFF
President of Management Board - Lilianna Piwowarska Solarz
Member of board – Marek Zaborowski
Project Management – Agnieszka Cahn
Project Management - Anna Grzybowska
Energy Management - ?ukasz Kowalczyk
Energy Management Robert Paradysz
Energy Management - Ma?gorzata Osewska
Environmental Consultancy – Micha? Ma?ocha
Secretary – Joanna Pasek
Accountancy - Agnieszka Chachu?a

OUR REGION
Malopolska is a region of unique biosphere, in scale of the whole country. For that reason protection of the existing environment and sustainable development are the most important tasks that have to be undertaken by authorities, communities and all inhabitants. Establishment of the Agency was the answer for the demand of communities, Voivodeship and the City. We hope that through our activities and all undertaken projects the Agency will satisfy this needs for sustainable future.
SHORT HISTORY

In July 2000 The Malopolska Voivodeship and The City of Krakow established The Malopolska Regional Agency for Energy and Environmental Management. The Agency was supported by the European Commission (SAVE II Program). The Agency was taking part in the SAVE II Program together with two regions: Lyon (France) and Ria (Portugal). The shares of the Agency belong to the public bodies –The City of Krakow (37%), Ma?opolskie Voivodeship (61%) and POE ESCO (2%).

OUR OBJECTIVES

Principal objectives of the Agency:
· Fulfillment directives of "Agenda 21"and building sustainable development on the local and regional level by implementation of all necessary measures, which could reduce energy consumption and reduce environmental negative impact of the energy sector
· Reduction of communal energy expenditures, especially at communal buildings sector and lighting sector
· Acquirement of the funds for energy efficiency investments at the Krakow Region level, especially funds from the EU
· Creation of the service market corresponding with energy savings: energy auditing, ESCOs activities. Promotion of renewable energy sources, energy management
· Preparation of the energy data studies and support of provincial initiatives for the formulation of energy plans and/or for the including energy aspects in the city and regional development plans (territorial and sectoral) and implementing specific regulations and standards
· Propagation of the European programs concerning energy issues
· Organization of professional trainings, workshops due to creation of enterprises and employment in the energy-environmental sector
· Dissemination of results, knowledge and technologies: organization of seminars, meetings, courses and preparation of teaching material about energy conservation

OUR MAIN ACTIVITIES
Agency is to provide services aimed at encouraging good management of energy through improving energy efficiency, preparing energy plans and local energy policies, promoting energy efficient investments, training in energy issues, preparing applications for project funding, promoting renewable energy sources and disseminating know –how.
The main activities during the last six years of functioning:
· consulting in the field of environmental management for private clients and public bodies
· transferring the best of foreign experience to Poland
· helping local authorities to prepare energy plans and energy policies (the preparation of local energy plans is an obligation under Polish law)
· providing energy advisory services for private and public bodies
· coordinating of the Regional Forum for Sustainable Development
· organizing of conferences concerning management of renewable energy sources
· trainings in the field of energy efficiency and environmental protection,
· trainings concerning support for ecological projects, including renewable and alternative energy sources.

DESCRIPTION OF THE MOST IMPORTANT ACTIVITIES
Preparation of the local and regional environmental policy
Agency is involved in preparation and creation of different kind of strategic environmental documents and plans on local and regional level. The scope of consultancy includes:
- Energy
- RES
- Waste management
- Hazardous waste
- Transport
The most important works:
Preparation of Regional Energy Plan for Malopolska
The plan was created on the request of:
- Malopolska Voivodeship Sejmik,
- Malopolska Voivodeship Board and Economy,
- Agriculture and Infrastructure Department of Malopolska Voivodeship.
Works over creating this plan are still in progress because of the necessity of its integration with the Development Strategy of Malopolska Voivodeship and the other operational and sector programs which are still in preparation. The whole process of creating the plan consists of several parts – the sector plans.
We have also prepared the program of using renewable energy sources (solar energy) in public building belonging to the Malopolska Voivodeship – “RES project for the Malopolska Voivodeship”

Estimation of the Energy Plans of Malopolska Communes and Energy enterprises.
According to the Energy Law all Polish communes are obliged to prepare the study: “Estimation of the heat, power and fuel supply for the commune” On the request of Malopolska Voivodeship the Agency took part in evaluation of this plans and also the Development Strategy of Power Plants. Plans are evaluated as they are submitted.
By now, we have prepared 15 assessments of the estimation plans for the communes and 7 assessments of the plans for the Power Plants.

Regional Transport Plan
“Presuppositions of the transport policy of Malopolska Voivodeship for years 2002 – 2015 - sustainable development of the Voivodeship” was presented on the Voivodeship board meeting.

Waste Management Plans for communes
According to the Energy Law all Polish Communes and Poviats are obliged to prepare the study: “Waste Management Plans” and Environmental protection Programmes. The Agency prepared several studies of this kind which were positively assessed by all levels of authority and accepted by commune, voivodeship and water management board.

Services for communes, private and public sector
Applications/proposals
We prepare project proposals and applications concerning environmental protection issues such as:
· thermo renovation,
· thermo modernization
· low emission reduction,
· reduction of coal consumption,
· coal/gas conversion
for various polish environmental funds and especially for the Regional Environmental Protection Fund in Krakow. The proposals are prepared for communes, schools, hospitals, etc.

Energy audits
In 2002 the Agency started the actions connected with providing the specific service: energy audit – this is the technical and financial analyses of possibilities of undertaking the specific thermo-modernization actions in building.
During our 6 year activity we have prepared about 600 audits for public and private buildings.

Preparation of workshop “Financing of communal investments through ESCO system”.
Workshop was prepared in the frame of the Regional Forum of Sustainable Development in Krakow on 23.11.2000. The workshop gathered 25 representatives of Malopolska communes. The following issues have been discussed during the meeting:
- ESCO – technical and financial possibilities at present
- Good example of Krakow City lighting modernization through ESCO system.
- Bytom City – renovation of communal lighting through ESCO system.
Publication of the Regional Forums brochure concerning the communal investments in ESCO system.
After the above mentioned workshop we produced the publication containing all the presentations and lectures. The brochure was disseminated to all the communes of Malopolska Region and other interested actors. The publication : ”Financing of the communal investments in ESCO system - tested solutions”

ESCO Club
Creation of “ESCO Club” which associate institutions implementing various investments in ESCO scheme. The club was established to define strategies of building a common market. Its work included the meetings and discussions of a group of representatives of the investors and other actor involved in the ESCO process.

Regional Forum for Sustainable Development

One of the MAES main activities, is organizing workshops for local communities. This Forum is a cycle of workshops, addressed above all to representatives of local authorities of Malopolska region. The main aim for workshops is dissemination of the Polish best practices in the field of energy and environmental management among decision makers from Malopolska Region. The workshops promote measures which are helpful for regional development, local communities and what is more, are not harmful for natural environment. The most important topic of the meetings is the subject of so called small ecological investments. We want to show the possibilities and advantages of their implementation.

There have been organised same workshops until now for example:

· Communal Waste Management in communes
· Small sewage-treatment plant – good solutions for Malopolska communities
· Financing of communal investments in ESCO system
· Sewage disposal technologies in communities
· Renewable energy sources, use of solar, wind, biomass energy and heat pump
· Production and use of renewable fuels from wood chips
· Energy management in public buildings – System of Energy Management e-Manager
· Financing of energy efficiency and energy saving investments -seminar
· Financing of energy efficiency and energy saving investments – workshop
· Feasibility study for the Structural Funds waste-management investments - workshop

Representatives of all communes from Malopolska and Silesia regions were invited to participate in the workshops. Every workshop gathered about 30 participants: representatives of communes, local authorities, and companies.
We also developed the Forum as a platform for international cooperation. The two workshops: “Renewable energy sources, use of solar, wind, biomass energy and heat pump” and “Production and use of renewable fuels from wood chips” were a promotion of Swedish achievements in the field of renewable energy. We have invited representatives of the Swedish organizations and companies acting in this field. Now the Forum is a base of striking up the cooperation projects between companies from both countries in the field of renewable and environmental protection.

Publications
MAES edits and distributes books for communes and other interested institution and organisations. The books describe the best practice cases reviewed during workshops “Regional Forum for Sustainable Development . Up to now we have issued three publications containing the papers from 4 workshops:
· Communal Waste Management in communities
· Small sewage-treatment plant – good solutions for Malopolska communities
· Financing energy efficiency projects by ESCO companies
· Financing energy efficiency and energy saving investments
We disseminate the publications to all communes from Malopolska Region and to other interested organisations for free.

THERMO –Fairs

Ma?opolska Agencja Energii i ?rodowiska together with Trade Fair Centre Chemobudowa-Krakow S.A. organized in Krakow the Fair dedicated to the renewable energy sources and energy efficiency issues. This fair “Sanitary engineering, heating, cooling and air-conditioning fair” was held on 7 - 9 of March 2002.
In the frame of this fair we organized the Swedish – Polish trade mission and the renewable energy conference.
Companies presented new technologies in the field of renewable energy and water supply and sewage disposal. This contributed to striking up the cooperation with polish companies and lead to starting up the fist projects which are now in the phase of preparation.

ENECO 2003/2004

Renewable Energy Equipment and Environmental Protection Fair and Conference ENECO 2003/2004 was organized in cooperation with the Trade Fair Centre Chemobudowa – Kraków. This Fair and other accompanying events (conference) took place in the Trade Fair Centre Chemobudowa-Kraków S.A.
One of the event which was held in the frame of Fairs was an international conference on European Union Energy policy and promotion of good practises in energy efficiency and renewable energy. The conference was addressed to the wide group of ENECO Fairs participants and particularly to regional authorities, entrepreneurs, builders unions, architects and other interested.
This conference became the forum of sharing experience and particular presentation of:
· European Union energy policy towards the increase of rational energy use and use of renewable energy sources such as: White Paper or Energy efficiency Action Plan.
· Governmental programs supporting the development of renewable energy sources and renewable energy development policy till the year 2020.
· The advantages of ecological investments for the local communities representatives.
· Energy and economical possibilities of using renewable sources of energy in Poland.
· The possible sources of funding and obtaining subsidies for ecological systems.
· The achievements of research centers concerning research in the field of use of renewable energy sources.
· “Good practices” in applying of renewable energy technologies.

All materials from conference was published as a text book (1000 copies) and distribute to all communes of the region, companies and organizations interested in this topic.

Promotion of renewable energy sources – Energy Willow, Biomass

The Agency promotes biomass production. The process consists in production of energy material – from Salix willow and then production of the energy from the fuel. The interest in biomass is increasing among the communities as it creates the development opportunity for the rural regions in Poland. Malopolska Regional Agency for Energy Management started to distribute information about energy willow and other bio-fuels using ( among others) the experience gained from the Swedish Companies who has a great experience in this subject.
In the frame of the project we organized the conference/workshop: “Commercial ways of bio fuel use – willow cultivation.”
We have also organised a study – visit in the biomass energy production site in Sweden. Swedish installation uses bio-fuels. Selected representatives of Ma?opolska communes participated in this tour.

Studies, analyses

During the 6 years of its activity the team of the Agency prepared and took part in preparation of various analyses.

The most important analysis in pre-accession period:

1. “Energy analysis of the buildings being in possession of Malopolska Voivodeship - propositions of thermomodernisation”
2. “Classification and grouping the buildings designated for thermomodernisation through ESCO system”
3. “Investments in renewable energy sources (RES ) in legal, financial and power engineering aspects, with particular consideration of Malopolska Province”
4. Solutions of the heating system for the building of secondary school in Skala - Technical and financial analysis for biomass and heat- pump
5. “Assessment of the Development Plans of seven Power Plants”
6. Analysis – possibilities of the urban area use (building lots: 246/6, 246/7, 247/1 prec.17 ?ródmie?cie) for the realization of the investment: Trade-housing-service complex with entertainment-gastronomic component
7. “Presuppositions of the transport policy of Malopolska Voivodeship for years 2002 – 2015 - sustainable development of the Voivodeship”
8. plenty of energy audits - the technical and financial analyze of possibilities of carrying on the specific thermo-modernization actions in particular buildings.

From 2004 after accession to the European Union and opening new finance sources (ERDF, ESF, Cohesion Fund) the Agency has been functioning very actively as a consulting company preparing all documentation needed for submission of the application to these Programmes:
- Feasibility studies
- Application forms
- Technical projects
- etc

European Projects

The Agency took part in submission of several applications to the different EC programs of and other European Programs (SAVE, ALTENER, Fifth Framework Programme, Interreg III). After accession in 2004 we also submit and take part in project financed from ESF. We are undertaking the following projects:

ENERGIA project
Extended Network to Eastern Regions involving Government authorities, Industries and Academia. The main aim of the ENERGIA Project was the establishment of enterprises getting together traditional businesses and modern Information Technologies. The project was financed and positively assessed and reported by the European Commission (The Fifth Framework Program – IST). Project lasted for 2 years - 2000-2002.

PROMENLAB project - Promotion of Energy Labelling for existing buildings- SAVE programme. Start date of the project 01.01.2003, finish date – 31.12.2004. The main objective of the project was to prepare and promote the model of energy label for buildings. Project was financed by EC - SAVE II Programme and reported successfully.

SPLASH project- Spatial Plans and Local Agreements for Small Hydro. Promotion of small hydro power plants. Project started in first quarter of 2003 and finished in 2005. Project is financed from ALTENER Program.

SOUSTENERGY project – (INTERREG III C) Promotion of new educational and social strategies for energy savings. MAES is responsible for establishing of a European network of 15 regions committed to sustainable use of energy sources and a number of pilot actions on energy monitoring (energy audits, energy management, maintenance and savings) in public buildings involving local governments of Malopolska and neighbouring regions. Project started in 2004.

RELEMCOM - REclaiming Land EMpowering COMmunities. The aim of this project is to design a process in which former landfill and brownfield sites are redeveloped in a sustainable manner. The project is financed in the frame of INTERREG III C as one of the sub-project of GROW initiative. Project started in 2006.

Engineer Academy- project financed from ESF in the frame of Integrated Operational Program of Regional Development. The aim of the project was to raise of qualifications of engineers from Malopolska Region and prepare them to act in the integrated, competitive European labour market. During the project (2004-2006) over 550 persons took part in 93 courses.

RESIK- establishment of regional network of capital investors and investments. Project financed from ESF in the frame of Integrated Operational Program of Regional Development. Project started in 2006.