Medvedev Calls Conference on Energy Intensity in Archangelsk

The State Council Presidium has assembled in Archangelsk to discuss energy efficiency. The president and the seven members of the Presidium will be discussing a law on energy efficiency which is now under consideration in the State Duma, web site Regions.ru reports. According to the draft, Russia should cut GDP energy intensity with no less than 40 percent by 2020. Russia wastes up to a quarter of the energy it produces through outdated municipal power and heating systems, inefficient private sector use, and wasteful behavior among the population brought about by heavy domestic price subsidies.

Russia’s energy intensity of GDP, measured in dollars of GDP produced per quad, is close to about one-third as efficient as the United States. Russia gets about USD 48 billion in GDP for every quad consumed; the U.S., far from the most efficient itself, gets about USD 120 billion per quad. Russia average is similar to that of Mexico, Saudi Arabia, Iran, and Ukraine.

In addition to President Medvedev, Arkhangelsk will be visited by Minister of Economic Development Elvira Nabiullina, Minister of Finances Aleksey Kudrin and Minister of Education Andrey Fursenko, Dvinainform.ru writes.

Effective for one year already has been a law fracturing the former electricity monopoly Unified Energy Systems into smaller generating companies, two of which Enel SpA and E.On GmbH have taken large stakes in. Promises from the government to end domestic natural gas subsidies will serve to improve energy efficiency.

The Presidium of the State Council was established by the President in 2000, the President’s web site reads. Its task is to prepare for State Council sessions. The Presidium comprises the heads of seven constituent territories representing each of the seven federal districts. Members of the Presidium rotate every six months.

Current members of the Presidium are Governor of Voronezh Oblast Aleksey Gordeyev, Governor of Amur Oblast Oleg Kozhemyako, Governor of St. Petersburg Valentina Matviyenko, Governor of Yamalo-Nenets autonomous territory Yury Neyelov, Governor of Kemerov Oblast Aman Tuleyev, President of Ingushetiya Yunus-Bek Yevkurov and President of Tatarstan Mintimer Shaymiyev.

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