12 representatives from six Bulgarian municipalities visited Halden and Fredrikstad to see and learn how to adapt to the changing climate and reduce emissions by implementing innovative measures in the transport sector and increasing the capacity of their municipal employees.

As they are at the beginning of developing their local green policy, attendance in the Black Sea E-mobility project is crucial and informative to the six participating Bulgarian municipalities of Kavarna, Byala, Dalgopol, Dolni Chiflik, Nessebar and Primorsko.

During 13 months, these six small size municipalities will establish the Black Sea Corridor for E-mobility by purchasing one electric car (EV) and installing one EV charging station each. Such a pilot measure will stimulate the use of electric vehicles by the local population and allow Bulgarian and foreign tourists to travel along the entire Bulgarian Black Sea coast or transit with EVs. Solar panels will enable the autonomy of the charging stations and the possibility of using green energy. In addition to these physical and visible actions, the project focuses on increasing the partner municipalities’ capacity to evaluate their strategic and planning documents regarding designed and implemented activities leading to reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and climate change mitigation.

The host of the study visit, Smart Innovation Norway AS (SIN), is a leading applied research and business development company within sustainable energy, applied artificial intelligence, digital entrepreneurship, smart cities and communities, social and behavioral innovation. In recent years, it has oriented itself to the international market in Europe by implementing a number of activities and initiatives in the field of engineering, research and information technology. The participants in the working visit got acquainted with the ecological and innovative practices already in place in the settlements and saw the achieved benefits and results of the applied measures for mitigation and adaptation to climate change in the field of transport of the municipalities of Halden and Fredrikstad, including from the use of electric cars. The work program of the visit included both a theoretical presentation of climate change mitigation and adaptation measures with an emphasis on transport, as well as on-site working visits:

• Getting to know Smart Innovation Norway (SIN) and Norwegian electromobility policies and initiatives
• Presentation of electromobility projects implemented by Smart Innovation Norway (SIN)
• Presentation of electromobility initiatives in the Norwegian maritime sector (Port of Borg)
• Introducing ASKO – All-Electric Transport Chain (Drone Ferries + Electric Trucks)
• Visit to Halden Municipality and get acquainted with the Smart City Halden electromobility initiative
• Getting to know a Fredrikstad Municipality good practice – visiting the Fredrikstad passenger terminal and traveling on an electric passenger ferry

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