LAW

[:ru]Шаккум М. Л.[:en]Shakkum M. L.[:] [:ru]председатель Комитета Государственной Думы по строительству и земельным отношениям, член Совета при Президенте Российской Федерации по реализации приоритетных национальных проектов[:en]Chairman of the RF State Duma Committee on Building and Land Relations, Member of the Council on Implementation of Priority National Projects under the President of the Russian Federation[:]

Alitinform №1 (13) 2010 г. 10-16 p.

Abstract

As has already been noted on the pages of this periodical1, the existing potential of energy conservation in Russia is 360-400 million tons of conditional fuel, or around 35-40 % of current energy consumption. Of this, the potential of energy conservation of the fuel and energy complex is 33 %, of industry 32 %, and of housing and municipal services 26 %. With a reduction of energy capacity to the European level, our annual energy consumption would drop from 1 billion to 650 million tons of conditional fuel. In other words, a third of the gas, oil and coal that we produce in extremely difficult climactic and geological conditions, and then transport over thousands of kilometers, could be not produced, but preserved for future generations. Accordingly, in order to support the export of oil and gas at the current extremely high level, we should not invest additional funds in geological surveying, production and transportation of energy resources, but use much cheaper measures — energy conservation and increasing the energy effectiveness of the Russian economy. Figuratively speaking, the most ecologically pure and cheap energy is energy which has never been produced and used. The remained resources could be directed towards modernization of the economy, including innovation, infrastructure, education and housing. The task to increase energy effectiveness and reducing the energy capacity of the economy by 40 % by 2020 was set in one of the first decrees of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev. According to expert assessments, Russia is capable of solving this task with already existing advanced technical solutions, and catching up with developed countries. The most important thing, as President Dmitry Medvedev said, is «to do this not on paper, but for real, seriously».