ALTERNATIVE ENERGY AND ENERGY SAVING AS A STRATEGIC GOAL FOR ARMENIA
The price of gas, imported to Armenia, as well as of energy, has again
increased significantly. This will surely result in the price increase
(already in the process of rising) for a line of goods and services
– shortly speaking, “the cost of living continues to get higher”. I
am not about to talk over social and economic aftereffects, aroused
as a result of gas or energy price rise, this is a subject for a
separate analysis. I would only note that the government should not
allow Armrusgasprom, a monopoly player in the market, to get richer
on the account of the population.
I would like to pay attention to some other global issue, which
unfortunately is almost not highlighted here.
Armenia doesn’t have natural resources for gas and oil and no resources
would eventually appear even in the face of our complaints for the
energy price upsurge. Undoubtedly, the society should request from
the government to impose efforts and to regulate the prices of
the energy suppliers for the sake for population’s and economy’s
interests. However we should take into account that energy prices
display a tendency for a continual increase in the global market.
Therefore, Armenia faces a strategically important challenge, a goal to
develop and realize a strategic program in this sphere. The effective
consumption of energy, energy resources, the curtail of heat losses,
the investment of energy saving systems, the usage of alternative
energy suppliers needs to be set as the must for the forthcoming
years. I think the government should initiate the development of
suchlike program, starting from the energy audit of the country. That
is, it should compile exact details and information over the volumes
of the consumed energy resources, indices of the energy-effectiveness
and so on.
I’m sure that suchlike audit would unravel that Armenia is one of the
“richest” countries in the world, if we allow to waste an energy so
lavishly both in household and in other spheres of the economy. How may
the leading international experience prompt us, how can we minimize our
dependency from the imported energy suppliers? First of all, we can
start with simple programs, which do not require major investments,
implementation of technical solutions. We may start with deployment
of the so-called smart light systems, by means of which the light
in buildings, porches, companies, organizations and streets turns on
only upon its necessity. Suchlike systems will allow us to curtail the
waste of energy from thrice to 7 times. One of the solutions is also
the usage of modern energy saving lamps. Taking into consideration that
suchlike lamps are still quite expensive, then encouragement measures
should be created to foster their usage, minimum requirements can be
imposed in case of the purchase of state defined goods.
I think here we need to change the ideology of the state purchasing
by assigning relevant structures to purchase goods, materials, and
equipments, in coherence with the modern energy requirements. Suchlike
programs are carried out in many countries of the world, even in
energy-opulent Russia.
We all know that significant resources are spent on the heating of
the buildings, houses. Lots of energy saving measures are applied all
over the world for raising the energy efficiency of the multi-storey
and administrative buildings. Just bringing about some of those, like
the usage of the up-to-date materials for thermal insulation, hot
water tubes, the installation of thermal heat pumps for Earth-power
consumption, installation of solar collectors, all in all suchlike
techniques which consume solar energy for adding illumination of urban
areas and so on. Modern construction sphere has already started to
deploy technologies for walls, ceiling, even paints on the basis of
energy saving. It’s been about ten years since different countries
practice the construction of the so-called “Passive houses”, i.e.
energy saving houses where the heating is provided in winter without
any usage of heating systems, and in summertime period – without
air-conditioning techniques. It’s clear that construction will
cost higher in case of usage of suchlike materials. And it means
that here the government should also develop different measures for
encouragement.
Alternative energy and recovery resources are put on usage with
high volumes all over the world. First of all, it’s the consumption
of the solar energy. We all know about the special solar batteries
and collectors which are deployed on the roofs. Especially, thin
solar panels are used throughout the world. For the last 10 years
the production of suchlike panels has become so cheap that they
have even started to compete with other energy sources. It’s worth
mentioning, that besides, the solar batteries don’t pollute the
environment and are very safe. And most important – the solar energy
is free of charge. Many of us think that the usage of the solar
batteries is available only for the rich, but on the contrary. It’s
comfortable especially for the middle class families – by spending
once the money, you save the energy by receiving it for 25 years on
for free. One should not forget that the investment of modern energy
saving technologies is equal to the production of energy resources, it
brings income and is more eco-friendly. We can bring about Denmark’s
example, for the last 20 years its VAT has increased for 1,5 times,
whereas the annual consumption of energy resources for the analogical
period has not increased.
We can go on enumerating energy saving systems and components of
alternative energy which have been extensively used. But I would only
like to stress the following thing. The above-mentioned directories are
not of simple business type, which can be attended only by business
circles. The government should develop a long-lasting strategically
important program which will envisage broadband researches, the
results of which will be used for the development of technologies,
standards, methods, legislative, financial assistance.
Suchlike program should unconditionally run informative and insight
works with the society in all aspects.
To tell the truth Armenia works in this direction to some extent,
an energy saving law is also adopted. However that’s not enough. The
lack of the financial sources is often brought about as an excuse. But
state rate and tariff policy, explicitly thought over for the efficient
use of this sphere, can ensure a bulk of investments.
Investments can be done both in industrial and commune sectors. Like,
we can see on the example of the intensity of small-sized water-power
plants construction in Armenia as the investors have received clear
and legislative guarantees from the state. One should also not forget
that Armenia is rich in leading engineering minds and resources which
need to be invested for the program realization.
It would be also necessary to invite the banks and leasing companies to
an active leg of collaboration. It’s true that banks don’t have quite
a big experience in making investments in the energy saving sphere or
in the calculation of local risks, but by the due assistance of the
state and international structures all these issues can be solved step
by step. The most important thing is here to realize – the growth of
the country and population welfare can be ensured only by an effective
consumption of energy resources and by the investment of energy saving
technologies. Then it means that the energetic effectiveness of the
economy is to become one of the major goals for the economic strategy
of Armenia.
Khachatur Sukiasyan 14:45 04/06/2013 Story from Lragir.am News:
http://www.lragir.am/index/eng/0/comments/view/30027