Igor Bashmakov, executive director of the Center for the Efficient Use of Energy, said this at the round table "Russia's Energy Strategy: The Problems of Energy Saving in the Fuel-and-Energy Complex" on Tuesday.
"If we cannot raise energy efficiency but will develop the oil-and-gas complex, we may stop exporting energy resources because they will be absorbed by the domestic market," he stated.
In Mr. Bashmakov's words, one of the main problems in implementing the energy strategy lies in the fact that Russia does not have a state policy of raising energy efficiency. "Without the state's participation, the market cannot efficiently regulate energy saving," the expert noted.
Oleg Zhilin, vice-president of the Russian Gas Society, considers it necessary to stimulate the saving of energy resources. He thinks, in particular, that a gradual liberalization of gas prices will make it possible to considerably reduce gas consumption in Russia.
"Low gas prices stimulate its consumption. At present, gas is being used inefficiently in the country," he noted.
In Mr. Zhilin's words, the coefficient of efficiency of the energy installations working on gas in Russia is 33%, whereas in Europe this index exceeds 55%. The implementation of measures to save energy resources can reduce their spending in the country by 40-48% , or by 360-430 million tons of conventional fuel a year.
