MINSK, 22 February (BelTA) - Belarus is set to reduce the GDP energy intensity by 0.6% in 2022, Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Standardization, Director of the Energy Efficiency Department Vitaly Kretsky said at a meeting of the committee on 22 February, BelTA has learned.
According to Vitaly Kretsky, this year plans are in place to reduce the GDP energy intensity by 0.6% against the level of 2021 with the GDP growth rate at 2.9%.
“The country's efficient work to reduce the GDP energy intensity is confirmed by the data of the International Energy Agency, according to which in 2019 Belarus decreased its GDP energy intensity by 2.1 times against the level of 2000. These are much better figures than in Sweden, an economically developed country, and 2 times higher than in Canada, a country with similar climatic conditions. The actual GDP energy intensity of Belarus was 0.146 tonnes of fuel equivalent per $1,000 of GDP at purchasing power parity in the 2015 prices. Compared to the industrially developed member countries of the EAEU, Belarus goes in the lead,” he said.
The saving of fuel and energy resources in 2021 amounted to 685,800 tonnes of fuel equivalent, while the plan was 550,000 tonnes. The largest saving of fuel and energy resoruces – 265,500 tonnes of fuel equivalent - was achieved due to the introduction of modern energy efficient technologies, processes, equipment and materials into production. The plans for the current year are to ensure at least 0.6 million tonnes of fuel equivalent saved.
“Improving the efficiency of energy resources use at an individual enterprise primarily helps reduce energy intensity of products and, as a consequence, increases its competitiveness in both domestic and foreign markets,” the director of the department stressed.
The energy saving targets for 2021, envisaged in the state program, were met by the majority of government bodies and regions, he noted.
"Increasing the use of local fuel and energy resources, including renewable energy, is the most important area of the effort to reduce Belarus' dependence on hydrocarbons. The share of local resources in the gross fuel and energy consumption last year amounted to 16.1%. The share of renewable in the gross fuel and energy consumption was 7.4%," Vitaly Kretsky said.
As for the financing of energy-saving measures, Br944 million was utilized last year. The main sources of financing were proprietary funds of organizations and local budgets, the share of which amounted to about 80% of the total investment.
The head of the department also spoke about the plans for 2022. In particular, this is control over the construction of energy generating facilities running on local fuel, the measures to digitalize energy saving activities, the work to improve the regulatory framework in energy saving, etc.
As for international cooperation, in 2022 the department will continue to prepare and implement joint projects with international organizations to improve energy efficiency and promote the use of renewables.
In particular, plans are in place to complete the investment project "Use of woody biomass for centralized heat supply". It provides for the construction and renovation of boiler houses of housing and utilities services running on wood fuel. The department will also continue to work on attracting financing for the project to improve the energy efficiency of social facilities.
