The goal of the Transparense project is to increase the transparency and trustworthiness of Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) markets throughout Europe. With its twenty partners covering both mature and beginner EPC markets, the project has a great potential to develop and increase the European EPC market and thereby achieve substantial energy efficiency improvement.
Transparense will focus on the major characteristics of the EPC projects in individual countries. One of its main outputs is the European Code of Conduct for EPC defining the basic values and principles fundamental for the successful preparation and implementation of EPC projects within European countries.
Compliance with the Code of Conduct serves as a guarantee of the quality of EPC projects implemented. High share of EPC providers, that is energy service companies (ESCOs), that will be ready to adhere to the principles of the Code of Conduct is expected to raise confidence in using EPC by the potential clients. Code of Conduct will be directly tested on specific pilot projects in all participating countries, at the same time contributing to the promotion of good practice principles both on the side of ESCOs and clients.
Gradually increased demand for EPC and emergence of new ESCOs is expected to be further supported by the new EU directive on energy efficiency, which defines the requirements for making use of energy services by public institutions. Within Transparense, ESCOs will be offered high-quality training programmes and materials. Trainings are one way how the project supports transfer of experience from more advanced EPC markets, to those less experienced. Such transfer will be supported also by databases providing an overview of European EPC markets through specific information about ESCOs, their associations, EPC models and the existing initiatives promoting EPC, which will be available to the public on the Transparense website.
The Transparense project started in April 2013 and will be completed in September 2015. The project brings together 20 European partners and is financed by Intelligent Energy Europe Programme of the European Union with co-funding from the project partners.