Energy efficiency is a cornerstone of sustainable development and a key step in combating climate change. That is why, at STP Montenegro, we are proud to continue our efforts to improve energy efficiency and promote sustainable development through the ENERGY (Smart Actions for Energy Efficiency) project.

Sanja Popovac, Associate for the Implementation of Donor-Funded Projects at STP Montenegro, was one of the speakers at a workshop dedicated to the exchange of best practices in energy management in public buildings, held on 2 July in Pietracatella. She presented the activities of our institution in supporting the sustainable energy transition, highlighting the key role of innovation and technology transfer. During her presentation, she particularly emphasised the need for strong synergies and collaboration among research organisations, government, and the private sector to accelerate and improve the adoption of innovative solutions at the local level.

The event also provided an excellent opportunity to exchange experiences and served as an important strategic step in preparing the pilot actions that we will implement with the aim of reducing energy consumption and applying environmental standards. The project also envisages the organisation of two additional workshops as part of this cross-border cycle.

The participation of another Montenegrin project partner, the Municipality of Nikšić, demonstrated that the transition to sustainable solutions is feasible in practice. They presented detailed preliminary assessments conducted on public and residential buildings in the municipality, which will serve as a clear roadmap for the further implementation of the project and the deployment of new technologies on the ground.

The workshop also featured the experiences of other partner municipalities and regions participating in the project, including the Municipality of Fasano, the Municipality of Pietracatella in Italy, representatives of the Italian region of Molise, and the Regional Council of Durrës in Albania.

The main conclusion of the meeting was that costly and complex systems for monitoring energy consumption currently in use should be replaced with modern and more cost-effective smart technologies. Their implementation would enable local authorities to monitor energy losses much more easily and place a greater focus on renewable energy sources.

Through this systematic and innovative approach, the Science and Technology Park of Montenegro continues to position our country as a proactive partner in implementing European energy transition standards, laying solid foundations for long-term sustainable energy management and the development of smart, resilient communities.

The ENERGY project is co-financed by the European Union through the Interreg IPA South Adriatic Programme.