Project BANCAGE: Bulgaria And Norway – Clustering And Green Entrepreneurship

Project promoter:
Black Sea Energy Cluster (BSEC)

Partners:
NCE Smart Energy Markets
New Energy Performance AS (NEPAS)

Duration:
01.02.2014 – 31.01.2016

With the financial support of:
Green Industry Innovation Programme Bulgaria (GII), Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009-2014

The EU faces serious energy challenges concerning sustainability and greenhouse gas emissions as well as security of energy supply, import dependence and the competitiveness and effective implementation of the internal energy market. BANCAGE project is a tool to support and implement the energy and climate change policy objectives at European, Bulgarian and Norwegian levels.

BANCAGE objective is to strengthen the mutual relations between Norwegian and Bulgarian green clusters as an effective innovative model for increasing business competitiveness through capacity building on specific environmental issues within the public, NGO and private sectors.

Specific objectives of BANCAGE project are as follows: to strengthen the bilateral collaboration between Norwegian and Bulgarian green clusters and their cluster companies, with a specific emphasis on capacity building on specific environmental issues; to build capacity in public and private sector by way of knowledge transfer for Energy Management System (EMS) and networking to facilitate practical implementation of sustainable energy and climate policies, measures and activities in public buildings through the exchange of experiences and best practices between Bulgaria and Norway; to organize energy eco-events in order to promote energy efficiency and climate protection in both public and marine sectors in Bulgarian Black Sea region.

THE RESULTS of the project are increased business competitiveness of BSEC and NCE Smart Energy Markets through capacity building on specific environmental issues and establishing long-term business partnerships between cluster companies

Expected tangible results of BANCAGE implementation are as following:

  • 200 people trained in management of energy systems (cluster partner’s staff and companies + Bulgarian Black Sea region stakeholders)

  • 2 study tours, one in Bulgaria and one in Norway – 20 experts trained

  • 2 Energy business forums – one in Bulgaria and one in Norway providing opportunities for networking and establishing long-term business partnerships between cluster companies

  • At least 5 partnership established between Bulgarian/Norwegian cluster companies

THE TARGET GROUPS: Black Sea Energy Cluster (staff and companies members), NCE Smart Energy Markets cluster (staff and companies members) and NEPAS (staff members); Local politicians and policy makers in public sector; Environmental NGO’s, energy agencies and educational institution at local level; Local business companies working in benefit of green economy: developers, installers, suppliers of green products and services, auditors, financial institutions, etc.