Enigin Update - Energy Efficiency Hardline from Medvedev
RUSSIAN President Dmitry Medvedev said yesterday how he is unhappy with the slow pace of a government programme aimed at promoting energy efficiency across the country.
Medvedev made his views known at a meeting of the Commission for Modernisation and Technological Development of Russia’s Economy devoted to implementing energy efficiency projects held in the Tatarsan city of Naberezhnye Chelny.
The President stressed the strategic importance of the energy saving and energy efficiency programme as part of the modernisation of Russia's economy.
“By solving these (energy efficiency) tasks, we’re creating the outlines of a new economy, making our products and services more competitive, setting up new businesses and new industries, and making a contribution to the improvement of the environment and standards of living,” he said.
He urged officials to finally work out and enforce energy efficiency programmes, stating:
"The regional programmes of energy efficiency should start working at last. We should push governors, so that they work more quickly on this."
Last year Russia adopted legislation which obliged regional heads to work out energy efficiency programs by August 1, but many are still awaiting approval.
The President outlined a number of organisational problems that individuals, private companies and the public sector still face. He turned his focus on state-controlled regional grid company MRSK and FSK and criticised them for failing to take sufficient steps to modernise.
"There are many complaints about... (your) companies. I don't know if these complaints are justified... but there's no smoke without a fire...and it is the state that appoints and sacks the heads." Medvedev said.
Nikolai Shvets, MRSK chief executive, defended his company's efficiency noting that the company's shares had risen this year.
Medvedev counted:
"We are all glad here that your stocks are growing … but the activity of (your) company will not be judged only by these criteria, I want you to understand this," he said.
Commenting on the program, Medvedev called for the public-sector institutions to be allowed to keep the funds saved thanks to their energy efficiency measures, speeding up and streamlining energy audits, and attracting private investment to energy efficiency projects.
The President believes energy efficiency is important as it will reduce energy costs for the state, business and the populace.
Enigin Distributors in Russia, and elsewhere, are already helping the public and private sector to monitor and manage their energy use in real-time by installing the Eniscope system from Enigin - saving money, greenhouse gas emissions and energy.
Picture of Naberezhnye Chelny by Brücke-Osteuropa
