The Energy Performance Contracts to enhance the energy efficiency in public sector. The case of Piemonte Region

Abstract

Energy performance contracts (EPC) are able to tackle most of the existing barriers for the upscaling of energy efficiency investments in the public sector. Since EPC are complex, a project development assistance service (PDA) supporting small and medium municipalities is essential for their successful implementation. This PDA should be designed following the one-stop shop approach and should provide assistance and solutions along the entire investment chain (from the decision making process, to the monitoring of performance). The case studies of Piemonte Region implemented in the context of EU funded projects demonstrate that this approach is effective and successful. Nevertheless, further actions could ease the wider use of such an approach, such as the specific modification of the legislative framework, the standardisation of tender documents and procedures, tools for de-risking the financial support of EPC and the institutionalisation of the PDA approach among regional authorities and other territorial coordinators.