A bakery, a fruit and vegetable processing company and a vehicle-servicing firm were among 15 Romanian organisations recognised for promoting energy efficiency.
The European Union and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) teamed up to provide finance and advice firms investing in energy efficiency and small-scale renewable projects in Romania.
The most successful sustainable projects were picked at the Sustainable Energy Excellence Awards held in Bucharest last month.
Fruit and vegetable processor SC Alex Star SRL won ‘The Bright Ideas Award’ for cutting down energy use by 34%, while SC Agropan Impex SRL, a bakery, which used a loan to upgrade its equipment saved 40% of energy per kilogram of baked products and bagged ‘The Tasty Investment Award’.
James Hyslop, EBRD Director for Romania said Romanian companies have shown investment in energy efficiency and renewable energy “can bring economic, environmental, energy security and social benefits”.
“Economic benefits arrive in the form of lower utility costs for investors; environmental benefits in the form of lower CO2 emissions; security of energy supply through lower energy demand or by meeting demand with local renewable energy resources; and social benefits in the form of jobs in the growing sustainable energy sector,” he added.
To date, the EBRD has invested over €7 billion (£5bn) across 370 projects in Romania.
Huong Truong