Environmental research

Observing globally, as well as locally, it is a fact that we live in a time of overusing the fossil fuels for human or economical needs and development. This is pulling the question we should ask ourselves, for how long we can depend on them. Their uncontrolled exploration in a same time causes serious consequences to the environment and on the climate changes. Republic of Macedonia has ratified the conventions and protocols for energy and energy efficiency (the Protocol from Kyoto from 2004, the Charter for energy and energy efficiency and related environmental aspects from 1998). Regardless the ratification not even one of them is totally implemented. One of the biggest problems that our country and the municipalities are confronting is the management of their own energy consumption. With taking concrete measurements, the municipalities can implement activities for utilizing arterial sources of energy, in a same time to safe energy and to reduce the environment pollution. In that direction the municipality of Kriva Palanka for an extended period of time is working on providing funds for building small hydro power plants, also in the working program for 2011, provides activities for increasing energy efficiency. With the program is predicted replacement of the already existing high pressure lights (HPML) with highly efficient energy-saving lamps with high voltage. At this point the street lighting in the urban and the rural areas, mostly, around 95%, is composed of mercury lamps. With this project we plan to start with the positive trend of replacement the already existing mercury lamps with energy efficiency lamps. The money that is saved i.e. the savings that comes from the energy-saving lamps will be used for replacement of the rest mercury lamps. This project is in full compliance with the Program for energy efficiency and will contribute to meet the part of the Program for street lighting in the municipality of Kriva Palanka. Also with this project the Regional Center for Sustainable Development- Kratovo and municipality of kriva Palanka are getting into a strategic partnership and signed a memorandum of understanding in which are defined their rights and commitments. Kriva Palanka municipality undertakes to make replacement of 100 mercury lamps with energy-saving lamps which will contribute in reducing the consumption of electric energy for about 60%. The need for implementing of this project comes from all ratified documents, LEAP from 2002, The Local Program for Energy Efficiency 2011-2015, The Strategic Plan for Local Development of the municipality of Kriva Palanka 2009-2014, Developing Program of municipality of Kriva Palanka, Program for maintenance, reconstruction and construction of street lighting for 2011, and other official documents. The provided project activities are according the GEF/SGP, their National Strategy, and it covers the Central Area of Climate changes- Operational program 5. Promoting adoption of renewable energy by removing barriers and reducing implementation costs. The project will be implemented at the local level but its implementation will contribute to global influences. At local level the project will contribute in reducing poverty and problems of socio-economic nature, by building partnerships between institutions and organizations from different profile. The implementation and the development of the project which has a measurable influence will contribute in achieving sustainability of it too. The territory of Kriva Palanka has around 1300 street lights poles, for which use are paid MKD 500,000 monthly, for street lighting, then its really worth investing in a full replacement of the existing ones. The whole investment is worthwhile in about 4 years.

Macedonia