Alba County’s path to decarbonisation and climate resilience

In a post-pandemic period with exploding energy prices and a military conflict in our proximity, several communities in Transylvania are doubling down on decarbonisation and climate resilience; toward this, they are supported by their adhesion to the Covenant of Mayors – Europe initiative.

Benefiting from ALEA’s extensive support offered via the CEESEU HORIZON 2020 project, 4 local towns (Zlatna, Abrud, Campeni, Baia de Aries) began their strategy for energy and climate sustainability. Their goals are more collaboration on sustainable energy, more adaptation measures, and more social cohesion by tackling energy poverty. After evaluations of baseline emissions and a risk & vulnerability analysis, a plan was devised to decrease emissions over 40% by 2030, by which local effects of climate change will also be reduced.

Supporting the evaluations, energy and climate databases were created for each municipality on the ANERGO platform (Alba Energy Observatory operated by ALEA). Moreover, responsible municipal staff were also properly trained. Currently, the authorities are finalising measures for:

• High-level energy efficiency in public buildings (educational, social, health sectors)
• modern public lighting with low consumption
• supporting citizens to green their houses and become prosumers
• systems for valorisation of local RES potential (biomass, hydro, solar)
• support measures for households struggling with energy poverty
• greening urban mobility: electric vehicles with necessary charging stations; encouraging biking and walking

The municipalities largely avail of EU Cohesion Funds for the decarbonisation and climate resilience of their territories. ALEA is confident that in the first part of 2023, their SECAPs will be finalised and, after legal approval by city councils, the municipalities can start the implementation phase on their path for sustainable development.

Director of ALEA, Florin Andronescu, said:“Manysmall communities across Alba County must tackle several issues: deindustrialisation of mono-industrial (extractive) areas, the departure of young people, precarious infrastructure, rising energy prices, and difficulties in accessing energy.

“The answers to these challenges begin with strong political action for development with sustainable capitalisation of natural/energy resources: ecological tourism, valorisation of local traditions, creating a services market, green energy production… “The initiative of 4 small towns acting together in the Covenant framework must become exemplary. As a regional energy agency, we ardently promote the effort of local communities on the path for decarbonisation and adaptation; in fact, we try to manifest our motto as an energy agency: ‘think globally, act locally’.”