Energy efficiency

In November 2009, the Russian State Duma adopted the Law on energy saving and energy efficiency. In accordance with Article 10 of the Law, selling of incandescent bulbs of 100 watts and above is prohibited since January 1, 2011. Since the same date, placing orders for supply of incandescent bulbs for the state or municipal needs is prohibited. Shoppers have noticed the disappearance of high-power incandescent bulbs from the shop shelves.

In the near future, the Government of Norway will decide on whether to open up new areas in the north of Norway for oil and gas drilling. The sea areas off the coast of Lofoten, Vesterålen and Senja are among the most scenic and biodiveristy rich areas in Norway. Opening them up to oil and gas industry will not only put the valuable ecosystems at risk, but also further increase Norway's greenhouse gas emissions from a large and growing petroleum sector. RSEU supports Norwegian environmental non-governmental organizations in their fight against such a decision. RSEU signed a letter to the Prime Minister of Norway, asking him not to make a decision about opening the Lofoten Islands region for oil and gas production.

Russian regional companies have recently officially become eligible to obtain permission to perform energy audit. At the moment the overwhelming majority of the organizations accredited by the state are situated in Moscow and St.Petersburg. The advancement of state accreditation procedures eastwards may become a step towards creating a system of uniform criteria and regulations and is also likely to speed up the implementation of regional energy efficiency plans.
Only in case energy auditing does not become a sort of duty and a new obligatory expense item.

On the 1st of November the Savings Bank of Russia announced the start of examination of the applications for the second call for Joint Implementation Projects (JIPs) in the framework of the Kyoto Protocol. The competition results has not been made public yet. Russia can benefit 40 billion euros of foreign investments and up to 300 million tons of CO2 emissions reductions due to cooperation within the JIPs.

Russia has confirmed its readiness to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 25% by 2020 and boost the efficiency of energy use by 40 percent. This statement was made by the Russian deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Yakovenko after a ministerial meeting on climate which took place on the sidelines of the 65th session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

President Medvedev signed a Decree which obliges Heads of Russia's municipalities and regions to report annually on concrete measures and results of energy efficiency improvement » http://www.rg.ru/2010/05/ 18/energosber-dok.html>.. With its vast energy efficiency potential, Russia can comply with both its commitment on greenhouse gas emission cut and national economic interests.Russia can save up to 45% of its energy - these are the conclusions of the report prepared by the World Bank Group "Energy Efficiency in Russia: the hidden reserve».

During his visit to Norway and Denmark in the end of April 2010, President Medvedev said about interest to apply in Russia Nordic experience in the field of renewable energy and energy efficiency. "Energy efficiency, unfortunately, is not the best side of Russian economy today " he said at the press conference. Russian president signed with his Danish counterpart the agreements on implementation of projects related to climate change, and projects on energy efficiency

In the St.Petersburg & Leningrad region a media tour “Climate and Green Energy” was held 8 of April. Climate Secretariat of the Russian Socio-Ecological Union shows successful cases of energy efficiency and alternative energy.

Energy efficiency of enterprises of fuel and energy complex has become the topic of today's session of the Presidential Commission on Modernization. The session took place in Khanty-Mansiysk. Yesterday Russian president met with the head of Rosnano state corporation Anatoly Chubais, who urged to replace traditional incandescent light bulbs with light-emitting diodes (LEDs), not with fluorescent energy saving lamps, as it was previously planned. Russian Socio-Ecological Union considers this attempt as positive, bus has some fears that such an attempt is connected with lobbying of a private company at the highest state level, as well as by the lack of official calculations of the end user expenses.

Pathways to an energy and carbon efficient Russia
Opportunities to increase energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions
McKinsey&Company Report