International Energy Saving Day in the Vitebsk region
This year, Belarus is once again celebrating the International Day of Energy Saving.
Energy saving plays an important role in conserving natural resources, and this day is an excellent opportunity to talk again about ways to save energy at home and in the office, about energy-efficient technologies, and about renewable energy sources.
Vitebsk region, being the best region of the Republic of Belarus in the field of energy saving based on the results of the republican competition for the "Leader of Energy Efficiency of the Republic of Belarus – 2023" award for energy efficiency, resource saving, and environmental friendliness, is not standing aside from the celebration.
In the field of energy saving, the region is addressing several strategic tasks, such as reducing the energy intensity of manufactured products, which enhances their competitiveness, as well as reducing the republic's energy dependence on imported energy resources by maximizing the involvement of local energy resources in the fuel balance, including production waste, secondary energy resources, and the use of energy from renewable sources.
Thanks to the systematically implemented work on the State Program "Energy Saving" for 2021-2025, during the period from 2021 to January-September 2024, 380.7 thousand tons of conventional fuel were saved in the region, against a five-year plan of 299 thousand tons of conventional fuel, or 127.3% of the plan. The share of local energy resources in the total balance of boiler and furnace fuel for housing and communal services organizations reached 74.7% by the end of the current year. The indicator of replacing heat networks with pre-insulated pipes from the total length is 80.1%. The region's hydroelectric power plants generate about 250 million kWh per year, replacing 77 million m3 of natural gas.
For the period from 2021 to January-June 2024, the actual fulfillment was 423.29 thousand tons of conventional fuel.
The education system of the region forms the skills of careful and economical use of energy resources, playing a leading role in the process of shaping an "energy-efficient" worldview among the younger generation. The republican competition "Energy Marathon," which is gaining increasing popularity among the younger generation of Vitebsk region, holds a significant place in this process.
Energy saving is the main tool for ensuring the energy security of the state. Energy security implies the protection of the country and its citizens from the threat of energy deficit, as well as from disruptions in the stability and uninterrupted supply of fuel and energy.
“The declared Year of Quality undoubtedly indicates that improving the quality of life is prioritized in the national economy. Thus, all new energy-efficient technologies make our lives easier. At the same time, energy security is inextricably linked with environmental security, and this is also an important factor that influences the life of every citizen of Belarus” (Tatyana Zorina, Head of the Laboratory “Sustainable Energy Development” of the Institute of Energy of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus (hereinafter – the Institute).
Research on the impact of energy saving policies on the economic performance of Belarus and the socio-economic situation of the population, conducted by the Institute, allows us to conclude that the policy pursued within the framework of the state program "Energy Saving" has yielded quite significant results for the population over many years – people are spending part of their income on energy-saving measures.
Energy saving is not only fashionable but also important for our planet!
The Vitebsk Regional Department for Supervision of Rational Use of Fuel and Energy Resources of the Department for Energy Efficiency congratulates everyone on the International Energy Saving Day and thanks every resident of the region who is concerned about the saving and rational use of energy resources.