Promoting renewable energies - RETS Project

The New Energy Sources Entrepreneurs’
Association - SunE, Bucharest-Ilfov,
Romania
This association was established in 2008 due to the
increased interest of the business circles in the issues of
renewable energy sources valorisation, and based in
Bucharest. From the legal point of view, SunE is an
entrepreneurs’ association established as a Romanian
private legal person, non-governmental, non-political, and
non-patrimony association. The Association is made up
of 21 companies (mainly SME’s) with activities in the
field. Situated in the hub of Romania’s business activity,
the town brings together most of the companies involved
in renewable energies. Nevertheless, our members are
from other towns, as well. The first subsidiary of SunE
was established in Pitesti, the region South-Muntenia.
The Association has had and is now expanding its
cooperation relationships with local energy agencies at
the county level. It also has several Universities as
partners.
Impact indicators of the initiative
Through its statute the association primarily aims at
representing the interests of its members in promoting
renewable energy sources and energy efficiency,
supporting and protecting their interests in the
relationships with the public authorities and other factors
of interest. To achieve this, several national scientific and
technical events have been held, as well as discussions
with the government and national agencies and various
public debates.
Lessons learned: Useful information for the
authorities
Many of the renewable energy projects are carried out by
large international companies (at least in Romania’s
case), who have the financial power, technology and
know-how, as well the considerable lobby capacity
capable of influencing the synthesis and decision-making
factors at the national level. Though, the development of
small and medium size enterprises represents a sure
way both for RES valorisation, and the overall economic
development at the local level and should be supported
by the local authorities. In order to ensure the small and
medium size enterprise competitiveness they need to
form professional associations able to represent their
interests, ensure information dissemination, organise
public events where they can present the issues relating
to RES valorisation at the European, national and local
levels, as well as the potential of the association
members in tackling and solving these issues. The fact
that the association includes renowned specialists in the
field as individual members confers more consistency
and credibility to the activities that are carried out by it.
Overall project evaluation
The association has organised the public debate of
several legislative documents and drawn up observations
and proposals for improving them. The association has
organised or participated in the organisation of fairs,
conferences, symposia dedicated to the promotion of
renewable energies. A main place in the activity of the
association is occupied by its activities for developing cooperation
with public local authorities (county councils,
municipalities. These activities mean that SunE can meet
its other commitments, such as increasing visibility and
monitoring the adherence to regulations by its members.
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