Belarus GDP energy intensity 70% down in last 30 years

MINSK, 19 April (BelTA) – The energy intensity of Belarus' gross domestic product (GDP) dropped by 70% in the last 30 years, BelTA learned from Deputy Chairman of the State Standardization Committee of Belarus, Director of the Energy Effectiveness Department Vitaly Kretsky during the conference held to review 30 years of effort to create an energy-effective country.

Vitaly Kretsky said: “A persistent government policy in the area of energy saving has been pursued in Belarus for 30 years. Principles of frugal use of fuel and energy resources have become fundamental for all branches of the national economy.”

In his words, systemic efforts in the sphere of energy saving have allowed achieving tangible results. In the early 1990s Belarus was one of USSR republics with the highest energy intensity. However, measures implemented by the government and persistent efforts have determined energy saving results to a considerable degree and ensured a steady trend towards falling GDP energy intensity, the official noted.

Vitaly Kretsky said: “Over 30 years of the Energy Effectiveness Department's work fuel and energy resources worth about 30 million tonnes of reference fuel have been saved thanks to the realization of energy-saving measures. While the country's GDP grew by 2.3 times, the gross consumption of fuel and energy resources dropped by nearly 20%.”

Effective work to reduce the energy intensity of Belarus' GDP is confirmed by the International Energy Agency. According to the agency, in 2020 Belarus' actual energy intensity stood at 0.141 tonnes of oil equivalent per $1,000 of the GDP. Belarus was the leader in comparison with industrially developed member states of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU).

Vitaly Kretsky pointed out that since 1993 when the Energy Effectiveness Department was established, Belarus' GDP energy intensity has dropped by 4.7 times according to the International Energy Agency. The decrease was three times more intensive than the decrease in the world's average GDP energy intensity and much more intensive than the decrease in the energy intensity of economically developed countries with similar climatic conditions such as Sweden and Canada.

Meanwhile, Belarus' actual GDP energy intensity figure is more than 25% above the world's average. It means it is necessary to continue pursuing the policy in favor of improving the energy effectiveness of the Belarusian economy.

In 2021-2025 Belarus intends to increase energy effectiveness of all branches of the national economy in order to save 2.5-3 million tonnes of fuel equivalent over the course of five years. Energy resources will be saved mainly by introducing promising and energy-saving technologies, equipment, and materials, including by embracing more manufacturing processes, foundry operations, and thermal production solutions that rely on electricity. In 2025 the realization of the planned measures will allow reducing the energy intensity of Belarus' gross domestic product by at least 7% in comparison with 2020.