The State Construction Control Bureau (SCCB) has collected data provided by 664 large Latvian companies and large electricity consumers regarding the energy efficiency improvement measures and the resulting energy savings in the country as a whole. In 2018*, it reached 577,756 megawatt hours (MWh), mainly due to the corporate investments in facilities, lighting, and transport.
Svetlana Mjakuškina, Director of the SCCB, acknowledges that “it is essential to analyse the energy efficiency measures implemented in the country and the resulting energy savings in the context of the National Energy and Climate Plan of Latvia 2021–2030. This time energy audits of companies were made available to us manually, yet in the near future, together with the sector, we will develop user-friendly digital tools for data exchange and monitoring.”
According to the information on 2018 available to the Bureau, the most energy-efficient sector in the country has been processing industry. Based on the information provided by 247 companies representing this sector, the total energy savings in this sector amounts to 402,747 MWh. The second most energy-efficient sector has been construction – 25 companies have overall reduced energy consumption by 75,603.8 MWh. The third place is taken by electricity, gas supply, heat supply and air conditioning sectors – 45 companies have managed to save 34,433.2 MWh of energy in total. Transport and storage, wholesale, retail, repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles, as well as real estate market players have also ranked among the most energy-efficient sectors.
“Experience has shown that the more pragmatic an organisation is, the more activities it carries out in order to take responsibility towards environment. And this issue does not concern only industrial, energy, mining, or large trading companies. Different offices also have a considerable impact on the environment, since electricity and paper consumption, operation of heating systems, office equipment and vehicle fleets of companies result in the release of different emissions and pollution into the atmosphere, soil, and water. At the moment therefore, offices tend to become increasingly “greener” both literally and metaphorically. Moreover, special attention is given to the measures to promote energy efficiency which include a more thorough life-cycle analysis of different devices and processes,” explains Valts Vilnītis, Environmental Expert at the Institute for Corporate Sustainability and Responsibility (InCSR).
In order to improve energy efficiency of a company, it is most often decided to make investments in facilities. This has resulted in the total energy savings of 385,644.5 MWh. Relighting has also helped to save 59,951.3 MWh of energy. The third most energy-efficient measure among companies is related to investments and projects in the field of transport (savings in the amount of 49,184.1 MWh). Building insulation projects in turn have resulted in the energy savings of 34,432.1 MWh.
The SCCB has collected data on the energy savings by analysing reports on energy savings with regard to the energy efficiency improvement measures and statements regarding implementation of the energy management system, environmental management system or performance of an energy audit which have been submitted by 664 companies representing 20 different economic sectors. Large companies and large electricity consumers are obliged to provide such further data to the SCCB on a periodic basis.
Starting from 1 January 2020, the SCCB has been responsible for the administration of energy efficiency issues collecting information about the energy efficiency policy measures implemented in the country and the resulting energy savings.
*The SCCB continues collecting companies’ data on the energy savings and the energy efficiency measures implemented in 2019.
Information prepared by:
Jūlija Eizenberga, Public Relations Specialist, State Construction Control Bureau
E-mail: Julija.Eizenberga@bvkb.gov.lv, phone: 67013327, 29482328