Agro Perspectiva

Government sets task to save natural gas by enterprises producing heat and hot water

09.04.2013 11:42 "Agro Perspectiva" (Kyiv) — At the Cabinet of Ministers a meeting to tackle necessary measures directed to saving of natural gas by enterprises producing heat and hot water was held under chairmanship of a Vice Prime Minister Yuriy Boyko and a Vice Prime Minister Olexandr Vilkul, Government Portal reprorts. The event gathered Minister of Regional Development, Building and Housing and Communal ServicesHennadiy Temnyk, deputy Minister of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine — head of board VolodymyrMakukha, representatives of Naftogaz of Ukraine, Council of Ministers of Crimean Autonomous Republic,regional (municipal) state administrations. The participants discussed measures and possible ways of intensifying saving of natural gas by enterprises producing heat and hot water taking into account experience and specific character of regions. «One of the principal directions of the national Program for activization of the economic development for 2013–2014 is modernization of housing and communal services. Including renovation of boiler houses, reduction of expenses of energy carriers and economizing of natural gas. To every region the task is set to considerably cut consuming of natural gas by enterprises of heat energy communal services in 2014 replacing it by other energy carriers,» Olexandr Vilkul told. According to Yuriy Boyko, introduction of measures in replacement and saving of natural gas is extremely significant and they must be solved within nearest terms. The Vice Prime Minister stressed that presence in Ukraine of its own energy carriers enables to significantly cut dependence on imported blue fuel. «The task we are trying to solve appears one of the most significant for the country. We have to considerably reduce consumption of gas the next heating season. The price of issue is around 2 billion dollars. At this, there is surplus of coal and other energy resources in Ukraine,» Yuriy Boyko told. According to Olexandr Vilkul, reducing of consumption of natural gas proves possible also at the account of transition of boiler houses to alternative kinds of fuel (for instance, with applying coal, peat, wood pellets, biogas and other energy sources). Thus far, around 285 out of 23 978 communal boiler houses operate using alternative kinds of fuel which makes up 1.2% from the general amount. In the majority of them solid fuel boilers are used. Olexandr Vilkul urged: «It is possible to achieve significant progress in communal area only having a complex project approach. I draw peculiar attention to the need to attract investments into the branch». On the outcomes of the meeting it was commissioned in a two-week term to elaborate and give propositions concerning taking concrete measures in saving natural gas by enterprises producing heat and hot water locally. While targeting study of propositions and coordination of the mentioned work, it was decided to create a panel under the chairmanship of Minister of Regional Development, Building and Housing and Communal Services Hennadiy Temnyk, which will comprise also representatives of Ministry of Energy and Coal Industry of Ukraine, Naftogaz of Ukraine, National Commission for Regulation of Communal Services and State Energy Effectiveness Agency.