OREANDA-NEWS. October 17, 2011. On 13 October 2011 UNIAN presented pilot Ukrainian Energy Index (UEI) initiated by SCM. The project is a part of Energy Efficiency.UA programme realized as an integral element of the sustainable development initiatives of the SCM Group.  The Index is compiled by BEST analytical centre with media support of Vlast Deneg weekly.      

The Ukrainian Energy Index shows the efficiency of energy use by each Ukrainian region on the current stage of its economic development. This is the first time the energy efficiency of the Ukrainian economy is calculated with respect to its structure by comparing the energy consumption with the same indicators in the EU. 

However, the rating both assesses the efficiency of energy use and shows the ways to improve it across the country and its regions. 

Nikolay Pashkevich, Chairman of State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation says that to produce one euro of GDP Ukraine uses today twice as much energy as the EU does . UEI fully confirms this statement: in general, the energy efficiency in Ukraine is about 52% of the EU . Bringing energy efficiency of such sectors as industry, agriculture, services and housing and utilities to European level will allow saving about 27 million tonnes of energy in oil equivalent annually (cutting consumption by 48.0%) or approximately 34 billion cubic metres of natural gas, which cost €11.8 billion as of 2010. 

“Annually SCM invests at least USD 200 million to improve energy efficiency of our enterprises and sustainable use of resources. We realize like no other the scope and importance of the problem for competitiveness of our country,” explained Natalia Yemchenko, SCM's Director of Public Relations and Communications. “With our index we pursue a very simple goal: to show to Ukraine's regions how efficiently they use energy today compared with Europe and what is their saving potential. Pilot UEI demonstrates that applying EU approaches and technologies in the present economic structure will save up to €12 billion annually across the country. And this is not an abstract figure: UEI helps leadership of regions and the country to determine areas of quick wins able to bring tangible results. In addition, UEI allows assessing the contribution of the realized projects into improvement of energy efficiency of the national economy.”

SCM has invested around USD 100,000 in the Index.

“Improving energy efficiency in all industries is the priority of the President and Government of Ukraine in the country's energy security policy. In this context the results of Ukrainian Energy Index are much needed and highly important,” stated Nikolay Pashkevich, Chairman of State Agency on Energy Efficiency and Energy Conservation of Ukraine. "The Agency plans to use the Index in preparation of the National Report on Realization of the National Energy Efficiency Policy.” 

Vlast Deneg will publish the results of Ukrainian Energy Index on 14 October 2011 in issue 41.

“Many Ukrainians still believe that they have nothing to do with sustainable use of energy. It's a big delusion and we the journalists see it everywhere, said Oksana Mitnitskaya, Editor-in-chief of Vlast Deneg. People do not have saving habits and the government has failed to create any effective saving incentives. It is high time to change drastically the attitude to the problem. We are confident that the project Ukrainian Energy Index presented today will help all the parties involved to get a new look at the energy efficiency and move from discussion to action.” 

Brief information about the UEI methodology and results is in the profile below. For more information about Ukrainian Energy Index please visit website of the project.