The future lies with renewable energy. The finite nature of coal, gas, oil and uranium supplies and the limited capacity of the atmosphere to absorb gas emissions from energy production make it essential to develop an energy supply system with the three following aims:

PRIME: basic concept

PRIME (Private Investments Move Ecopower) aims to initiate additional investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy in public buildings, and is based on two main concepts:

1. Energy efficiency measures (Rational Use of Energy -RUE) are combined with use of renewable energy (Renewable Energy Sources - RES).
This combination can be used, for example, to improve the efficiency of a solar power installation and to upgrade a heating system, which may seem unspectacular but is highly efficient.
2. Private capital provided by local investors is mobilised for innovative energy investments.

PRIME makes it possible to implement the kind of energy-saving measures that would be impossible without additional funding. Environmentally-friendly investment and direct benefit for private individuals create the motivation required to make users of the building adopt a sustainable energy and water policy.

Public RUE and RES investment is greatly hindered by lack of investment resources. This problem can be overcome if private capital is raised, thus leading to improvement in energy efficiency and to the use of renewable energy in public buildings.

PRIME is based on participation, with owners as well as users of a particular building being involved.

The aim of PRIME is to improve energy efficiency and to use renewable energy in selected buildings. The planned projects lead to reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and thus make a contribution towards achieving the European Union Kyoto target of an 8 % reduction in emissions by 2008-2012. They make a contribution to EU energy and environment targets as set out in the following documents: European Climate Change Programme (ECCP), White Paper on RES, Community Strategy and Action Plan on Renewable Energy, Campaign for Take-off, Action Plan to Improve Energy Efficiency in the European Community, and Green Paper: Towards a European Strategy for the Security of Energy Supply.

Instruction and guidelines, tools and contract models are available on CD or may be downloaded from the Internet. The action package is to inform local authorities and as well other local actors about PRIME and give detailed advice.

It includes methods and instruments to engage private investors, but also concepts for investigating saving potentials, a loss-profit-analysis, a financing model and some tools for marketing energy saving measures.

PRIME also has the aim of developing strategies to mobilise private capital for investment in sustainable energy projects in several other European countries. In general, there is a lack of knowledge over regulations and economic, institutional and legal factors involved in refurbishment of a building, for example over how to set up a performance-contracting agreement between a municipality and an energy service company. Overcoming difficulties of this kind gives owners and users of a building the incentive needed to take joint action. PRIME aims to strengthen participation by the private sector in climate protection and to provide new shared opportunities to raise capital from private households to finance sustainable energy projects and to support local authorities and partnerships at regional level. This kind of investment is particularly important for local authorities because it strengthens the local economy, creates jobs and leads to contracts for small and medium-sized businesses.


PRIME increases awareness and broadens skills at local level, especially with local authorities and private individuals. Existing experience in financing and evaluating sustainable energy projects is pooled and passed on. Local energy agencies are involved in the process, thus making use of their experience with local authority structures and experience of setting up sustainable energy projects. Cross-border exchange of information ensures dissemination of best practice projects across Europe. Projects developed within PRIME can serve as examples for the wider application of participatory models; PRIME acts as a catalyst.

By creating improved preconditions for private investment in modernising energy supply systems in public buildings, PRIME makes a contribution towards achieving European Commission energy and climate policy targets.

It supports the European network of participatory and sustainable energy projects and will ensure the exchange of experiences.

hereby declares that it will act in accordance with the Charter and will undertake to facilitate investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy resources within its administrative area, and will provide opportunities for citizens to participate in any scheme developed.