Category: Blog

The Green Engineering Center of ESCO-S LLC, funded by the USAID Professional Skills Development Program, started developing and piloting a training program in the green economy.

The program started on September 4, 2023, and will cover:

Installation of automatic hybrid energy systems and creation of an accredited training module for service installation specialists, which will result in certified installers/maintenance specialists training for mixed operation of renewable energy sources.

                

For this purpose, during the next 12 months:

• An educational module will be developed and submitted to the Education Quality Control Service for accreditation. Preparation of professional skills for the certification of the skills training program of the fourth training category in the speciality “Installation and service of automatic hybrid energy systems;
• The educational program will be equipped with sights;
• Training of program trainers will be carried out in leading European institutions to improve technical skills
• The Green Economy Emergency Skills Training Program is piloted at the Green Engineering Bazalet Training Center.
• A long-term partnership with two training providers will be established;
• 30 people employed in the green economy will be paid and will receive the certificate of “Hybrid Energy Systems Installation and Service Installation”;
• Outreach activities were conducted to share the results of the program with sector representatives – at least 50 employers, associations/councils and industry groups.

On September 8, 2023, a meeting was held between the working group of the project and representatives of the Education Quality Control Agency. During the meeting, the participants discussed the accreditation application of ESCO-S LLC, met with the specialists of the field and the program manager, planned the architecture of the training module and prepared a time plan of activity according to which they started working on the creation of training syllabus and training literature.

The working group’s next meeting is scheduled for October 8, 2023.

Energy efficient production and relation to competitiveness

In modern competitive market proper resources management play crucial role. The basis for modern
green wine industry is cost effective management of processes, use of renewable energy resources,
waste minimization. This covers all segments of production from irrigation system to prmises lighting:
company’s vehicle fleet, field machinery, product packaging – where the energy is used for production,
storage or transportation.

After identification of the needed data, optimization of energy use will allow improvement of
production processes. Information analysis, followed by conclusions and recommendations increase
energy performance, develop the enterprise through adoption of ISO 5001 green management
principles, uses renewable energy instead of traditional one.

These are the means that uses wind, solar and geothermal energy installation and cut down by 30% of
grid electricity demand.

Using renewables as as primary sourse of energy, increasing energy performane by various methods,
and having poper energy managemet, it is realistic to achieve 50% reduction in buying grid electricity.

 

Energy audit as a tool for resources efficient management

Purpose of energy audit in wine industry is obtaining detailed information about production processes
and used equipment, identification of cost optimal potential for energy savings, calculation and analysis
of results. This tool can be applied at each stage, identifying the problems and finding solutions.

Industrial energy audit can form a view on the challenges in wine production energy management:

• How and I which area can be energy performance improved, therefore – reduce cost in wine
  value chane?
• Which alternative solutions suite my business? For my region?
• Which approaches are sustainable and in which extent?
• How can different types of energy be co-utilized or be inter connected?
• What is time scale for different alternative options implementation, savings, payback?
• How to store on the site the excess energy produced during not loaded shift, and use when
  needed?
• Is implemting of planned changes alone financially feasible or joint effort with other actors will
  be better?
• Network or separated systems?

Good practice example

Cold preliminary fermentation maceration during wine ethanol fermentation is already widely used in
wine factories in Georgia and worldwide. For fermentation process there is developed energy saving and
processes optimization methodology. For the particular wine production there are analyzed different
energy saving approaches, followed by action plan and verification of results.

 

New legislation on energy performance, responsibilities of enterprises and new challenges

Georegian legislation, particularly Law on Energy Efficiency” -21/05/2020 aims at energy saving, increase
of energy supply and security, as well as elimination of energy efficiency barriers on the energy market.
The law (article 5 – Energy Efficiency Policy in Industry) obliges the first category enterprises, including
wine producers, to conduct full energy audit once in 4 years, or adopt permanent energy management
as follows:

a) If the production facility consists of energy final use large segments / elements, – then individual
energy audits series for each segment / element.
b) If the enterprise has 2 or more small scale sites, and conduct the same or similar activities, –
then audit of 2 or more sites selectively.
c) In case of fulfillment both condition stated in “a” and “b” – in the same way as considered by
both articles “a” and “b”

Ministry of Economy and Sustainable Development of Georgia developed targeted programs for
medium and small size wine companies (which do not fall into the first category companies), and
provides information on adoption of energy management system and certified experts.

Legal entity of the public Law “Georgian Accreditation Center – the Unified National Body of
Accreditation“ is responsible for accreditation of energy auditors. This body, on the basis of agreement
with relevant bodies of EU member states, also can validate energy auditors certificates.

Legal responsibility for energy management and fines in case of failure

The law sets responsibilities and fines in case of law requirements fulfillment failure.

The failure to implement an energy audit by an enterprise, or the failure to implement the
introduction of a certified energy management system ….. and/or the non-submission of a copy of an
implemented energy audit report to the Ministry, or the failure to notify the introduction of a certified
energy management system or an environmental management system, shall result in a warning, and the
failure to rectify the violation within 90 days after the
warning shall result in a fine of 50,000 GEL to 100,000 GEL.

Conclusion

Energy audit is a powerful tool which provides cost effective management in wine industry. Supported
by Georgian llegislation, it is the milestone in Georgian green wine sector development road map.

Zaal Kheladze

Green Engineering Center will train adult citizens in the professions of the welder and painter in the frameworks of the program Production Practice Based Teaching, For this purpose, the meeting was held  between Georgian  Professional skills Agency and Bazaleti Green Engineering Center.

During the meeting a long-term opportunities for the development of  dual teaching at Chanadirtkari energy-efficient technology Enterprise were discussed.

,,These are the professions of the future, the respective labor market will be even more developed when the law package for economic advancement,  adopted by the Georgian Government will be fully taken into  force’’. Mentioned Mr. Zaal Kheladze, The director of Green Engineering Center.

,, The development of competence and work based teaching and coorporative teaching principles are  the key directions, that are openly supported by the Government of Georgia, helping entrepreneurs to promote those fields.’’ Stated Mr. Petre Tsulukidze, The coordinator of the dual teaching direction of the agency. The similar  topics were discussed by the speakers Mrs. Ana Shengelia (The manager of adult education direction) and Mrs. Khatia Tsiramua,( The consultant of competence and work based  teaching ) Prof. Zaza Tsiramua, covered a financing opportunities in his speech during the meeting. At the end of the meeting the agreement of Cooperation based on PPP principles between Bazaleti Green Engineering Center and The Georgian  Professional skills Agency was  made.

 

 

 

 

 

The agreement was made between Esco-S and Green Growth Foundation technical assistance program.

The goal of the agreement is to promote the development of the strong energy efficient and renewable energy market in Georgia.

Esco-S was granted with the financial assistance of EUR 10.000 .

In the frameworks of the project Esco-S will be handed with the consultation package, That includes consultations of International experts.

The consultant will study the technical project of production process, developed by Esco-S, upon which he/she will present the protocols for ensuring the quality and safety of full chain of  production process, The protocols will be introduced in the newly established enterprise by Esco-S afterwards. This will enable the company to ensure the provision of specifically designed, high energy-efficiency and safe biomass ovens to the beneficiaries of the project financed by the Green Climate Foundation.

In order to certify the ovens mentioned above, It is necessary that the quality and safety provision  plan provided by the consultant is in line with the European Standards of Production quality, safety control and certification of energy-efficient ovens operating on solid fuel. ( PREN13240(MAIN) and  HAACCP). 

The following actions will be taken by the consultant:

. Esco-S will purchase the standards, that will be introduced afterwards

The consultant will elaborate three different types of protocols on the basis of the technical documentation of the production process and  the requirements implied in the above mentioned standards:

• The protocol for production and final product quality ensurance;
• The protocol for ensurance of energy-efficiency of the ovens and fuel for the laboratories testing the features and parameters
• The protocol for the safety of production process

The elaborated protocols will be oriented on the critical components, defining the quality and  the safety of the product , as well as are responsible for energy-efficiency.

The consultant should prepare a specific material for the training connected with the protocols and should deliver the trainings for  Esco-S staff.

The consultant will prepare the guidance for Oven Installation and Maintainance,  The guide will cover the instructions for oven exploitation and 2-3 minutes long video instructions on the similar issues.

The document for the management of exploration  processes of  the laboratory defining the technical features and energy efficiency  for  ovens and bio-fuel- is the key solution for the a big challenge, that enables providing professional solution to the  second  component of the Green Climate Foundation grant project FP132: Enabling Implementation of Forest Sector Reform in Georgia to Reduce GHG Emissions from Forest Degradation.

 

IDEATHON on Energy-Efficient Technologies -Was organized by the mutual cooperation of The Green Engineering Center and CENN. The event was held in the framewors of the program ,,Awareness and Communication Raising Campaign on Energy-Efficient and Renewable Energy Technologies in Rural Territories’’ Supported by UNDP.

The Ideathon  was designed for the young people interested in the fields of Energy-effieicent thecnologies and renewable energies. In total 30 young people from 8 municipalites of Georgia took part in the event. Which was short, albeit intensive workshop type meeting, during which the participants had opportunity to identify existing environmental problems and find solutions to those issues defined. Young participants worked in groups and used Design-Thinking methodology, in order to form the ideas in cooperation with each other.

The above mentioned activities took part during April 26-29, 2022, on the premises of Bulachauri Green Center and Bazaleti Green Engineering Center. The participants were able to listen to the speech of Mr. Zaal Kheladze, The director of Green Engineering Center, In his speech Mr. Kheladze delivered several thematic sessions on the fundaments of Green issues:

• Concepts of Natural Science, that ensure the Green way of living,
• Renewable energy sources and technologies and their role in implementation of effective energy-management;
• Energy-effective skill, habits and actions in everyday life.

In parallel to the sessions, The participants visited Bazaleti Green Technological Center and were introduced with the energy-efficient thecnologies and their operational abilities in every-day life and in the industry with the guidance of Expert-Proffessor Gvantsa Kheladze.

The Young people explored the business under the management of Esco-S, and which are being  operating based on the green principals, in particular Fruit processing factory, Demonstration venue of Green Horeca sector alongside of Bazaleti Lake and The factory of Energy-efficient heating systems which is  under construction.

The participants identified Green challenges with the mentorship and facilitation of Bazaleti Green Engineering Center representatives, according to which they started thinking about finding team based solutions.

,,3D Printer prototyping opportunities at Green Engineering’’- This was the topic of the training organized  by Bazaleti Green Engineering Center in cooperation with Czech  Agency for Culture Development, on April 27, 2022.

The training was participated by the teachers and students of architecture direction from Georgian Technical University and the Caucasus University.

The training was delivered by the experts of the company producing 3D printers. They proposed the solutions to those challenges that was highlighted in the speech of Mrs. Gvantsa Kheladze, Assistant-Professor of the Caucasus University.  The discussions around the topic demonstrated the importance of incorporating  such innovations in educational processes.

Entrepreneurs who attended the event marked  the significance of prototyping of Georgian traditional handicraft products at the production phase. Introducing 3D printers in Dusheti municipality administrative area will generate many interesting ideas.

 

Bazaleti Green Engineering Center hosted the conference on Bazaleti Lake environmental challenges and solution opportunities on April 14.

The conference was preceded with area cleaning action in which representatives of Georgian Leaders School, Oriflame, Local Community and Dusheti Municipality took part voluntarily. The event was launched by Dusheti municipality city hall, Georgian Green Movement and the head persons of Green Engineering Center. The discussion was actively participated by the units involved in Bazaleti Value chain and potential parties. The meeting agenda included the following topics:

• Water management problems in Bazaleti Lake Basin
• Soil Contaminants of Bazaleti Community
• Environmental challenges of Bazaleti lake area and solutions
• Sustainable development goals

The speakers and the participants of the discussion agreed that specific actions are necessary to be realized to resolve catastrophic situation created due to the environmental conditions of the lake area.

,,The list of the problems is long. Those issues require to be solved urgently. There are solutions and means based on professional knowledge and experience of ecologists. The following steps should be made: The lake should function as  Hydro-accumulative station, Bazaleti lake basin management plan and general plan for Bazaleti community development should be developed.’’ Stated Mr. Zaal Kheladze during his speech, The head of Green Engineering Center.

Mrs. Nino Chkhobadze, The leader of Georgian Green Movement, highlighted the importance of mutual actions of NGO and Business sector, She mentioned that Green foundation is an effective tool for obtaining a financial support.

,,The issue requires rapid actions for solving, We won’t be able to do it without sectoral support. Noted the mayor of Dusheti Municipality, Mrs. Manana Narimanidze in her overwhelming speech.

The conference was finalized by the resolution on development of mutual proposal by Green Climate Foundation accredited organizations for Green Climate Foundation. The process will be managed by the leadership of the head of Green Engineering Center in partnership with the leader of Georgian Green Movement and the mayor of Dusheti municipality.

 

 

Esco-S Green Engineering Center launched a learning course in organic food preparation. The course is led by German chef Gunter Pomp. The course represents our company’s new statement in terms of introducing green principals in Horeca sector.

Esco-S is planning to present one more unit in low emission industry the  ,,Cider Garden’’ on the premisies of 0 Emission Demonstration Center.

It should be mentioned, that the chef, Gunter Pomp is developing the menu upon the test instructions for cider and fruit distillates created specially for Esco-S drinks by French sommelier  Mernis Pure.

Gunter Pomp provides consultations to Georgian colleagues within German Economic Unification Support Program of German Government.  The project is particularly designed for Esco-S and envisages  organizing sustainable principles in Horeca sector.  Project serves to    promote utilization of bio-degradable packaging materials, Waste-less management, Organic Bio-Engineering principles and introduce opportunities for sustainable management system implementation.

1. Development of theoretical and practical knowledge and skills related to tour hosting, organizing coffee-breaks and Buffet type receptions
2. Engineering of organic menu for outdoor fast food infrastructure conceptual planning
3. Engineering of complex menus integrated with Cider and Schnapps using Georgian and European cuisines principles.
4. Elaboration of degustation menus using Georgian unique spices.
5. Identification and development of taste features of wild fruit, herbs, Separate edible elements for Cider and Schnapps gift boxes (dried fruit, herbal tea, Dried meat, Smoked cheese , etc)
6. Elaboration of organic menu taste protocol