About

Deficit of energy supply and huge spendings for energy is one of the urgent problems faced by the institutions of the Russian Ministry of Education. The most important task, therefore, is to increase efficiency of energy use. .

Energy usage at Russian educational institutions is much higher as compared with foreign ones. Thus, there is much space to lower energy usage and increase energy efficiency.

Inefficient use of energy in educational institutions is caused by several factors: imperfection of legal, administrative, financial and pricing mechanisms; scarce implementation of energy saving equipment; high wear of equipment for processing, delivering and distributing energy; and lack of qualified specialists in the area of energy saving and energy efficiency.

In order to solve the above-named problems, the Russian Ministry of Education has launched the Energy Saving Program 1999-2005.

The Energy Saving Program is implemented through agreements between Ministry of Education, Ministry of Fuel and Energy (Russian - MinTopEnergo) and regional authorities (county administrations).

Activities within the framework of the Energy Saving Program are co-financed by the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Fuel and Energy, regional authorities and educational institutions. The contribution of Ministry of Education in the year 2000 is RUR 85 mil. (approx. USD 3 mil.) for energy saving projects and RUR 14 mil. (approx. USD 500 thsd.) for research and educational projects.

The Energy Saving Program targets on institutions of all levels of education - primary, secondary and high schools, colleges, universities and institutes. Higher education institutions are assumed to be promoters of the Energy Saving Program.

The Energy Saving Program aims to:

• decrease spendings by educational institutions for energy;
• increase efficiency of energy usage;
• develop and implement energy saving technologies and techniques;
• create network of energy efficiency centers at higher education institutions, as well as legal and administrative mechanisms in order to promote energy efficiency.

The Energy Saving Program involves the following directions of activities:

Energy efficiency centers network. The energy efficiency centers at higher education institutions are being established. Currently, there are 27 centers been organized at the universities all over Russia - from Petrozavodsk to Vladivostok. The basic purpose of the centers is to disseminate information on energy efficiency. The centers are to promote utilization of energy efficient techniques and implementation of other energy saving measures at their regions. The centers are also responsible for organizing training on energy efficiency.

Training and re-training specialists. System of educational programs in the fields of energy efficiency and energy saving is to be developed within the framework of the Program.

Research and development of innovative projects in the area of energy efficient technologies and techniques.

Energy audit and consulting. The Program intends to contribute to the successful development of Russian energy auditing and consulting companies.

Project management. Energy auditing, energy servicing and energy saving companies are planned to be created under the Russian Ministry of Education. The companies are assumed to implement energy efficient and energy saving projects.

Information system building. The management information system is to be developed in order to support the process of decision making in the sphere of energy efficiency and energy saving.

Petrozavodsk State University (hereinafter PetrSU) participates in the Energy Saving Program from the year 2000. The International Center on Energy Efficiency in the European North of Russia (hereinafter the International Center) has been established at PetrSU as a part of the network of university energy efficiency centers.

The International Center is nominated by the Research-and-Technical Council of the Energy Saving Program to be responsible for developing co-operation between Russian and Nordic institutions dealing with energy efficiency.

Within the framework of the Energy Saving Program, the International Center is responsible for assisting to Russian educational, research and other organizations in establishing and developing contacts with institutions and organizations from Nordic countries in the field of energy efficiency.