What day is it?

Every year on March 5, the world community celebrates World Energy Efficiency Day. Its purpose is to inform the population about the importance of saving energy and teach households and commercial consumers to use energy carriers more rationally. Every year, problems related to the use of energy become more relevant.

First of all, they touch on such an issue as saving financial resources, which is important for every user. It should be noted that the rational use of energy resources reduces the load on the power grid, and therefore contributes to the preservation of the environment, allowing us to pass on a habitable land to our descendants.

Many people believe that calls for economical energy consumption are restrictive, because saving energy is associated with giving up many of the benefits of civilization. However, this is not the case at all. Rational use of electricity is an increase in the power of electrical devices and a decrease in the amount of energy for their operation.

How did the idea to celebrate World Energy Efficiency Day come about?

The idea to introduce for the first time World Energy Efficiency Day appeared in 1998 at a thematic conference devoted to energy efficiency problems held in Austria.

Today, for the lion’s share of consumers, the issue of energy efficiency is gaining importance. Since the cost of energy carriers is increasing rapidly every year. The issue under consideration occupies a significant place in the problem of state security, which is due to dependence on external suppliers of energy sources.

Energy efficiency

Unlike simple energy saving, which consists in simply reducing the use of energy carriers, energy efficiency consists in its useful, rational use. The issue of energy efficiency is relevant for both households and commercial structures.

Energy efficiency is prudent energy consumption, when a person uses less energy to maintain a similar or higher level of energy supply. For households, energy efficiency provides an opportunity to reduce costs for utility payments, for enterprises – to reduce unreasonable costs, at the state level – it is an opportunity to save energy resources, improve production productivity and industrial competitiveness. This issue is also important for the environment. After all, reducing the use of energy makes it possible to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Many technologies are developing in the world, which allow more rational use of energy. Among them are LED, plasma, sodium lighting, energy-saving heating technologies, use of heat-insulating materials, etc.

International programs

In the 70s of the last century, many countries at the state level began to develop and actively develop progressive programs that allow increasing energy efficiency. In particular, an international standard for power system management – ISO 50001 – was developed.

For example, thanks to good thermal insulation of buildings, energy consumption for maintaining an optimal indoor microclimate is reduced by 3-5 times. Large double-glazed windows and the use of LED lighting reduce energy costs. There are many important reasons for energy efficiency: saving material costs, reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The International Energy Agency claims that if we improve energy efficiency in buildings, vehicles and production facilities, it will reduce the energy needs of the planet by 30% by the 50s of the 21st century. In addition, by following the path of energy efficiency, humanity will be able to manage the emissions of greenhouse gases in the world.

One more step on the way to energy efficiency there is a complete elimination of subsidies for those types of energy carriers that lead to unproductive and irrational energy consumption. This is the picture observed in most countries of the world. Many countries use energy efficiency as a tool of national security, as it allows to reduce the import of energy sources from other countries or to slow down the rate of depletion of domestic resources.

EU experience

In the countries of the European Union, the final energy consumption is distributed in percentage as follows:

• Industrial sector – 28.8%.
• Transport – 31%.
• Services – 47%.

Consumers of the lion’s share of energy are the population. In order to reduce the amount of energy consumption, a special Directive was created, which contains strict requirements for the energy efficiency of residential buildings. These requirements are constantly improving, undergoing improvements, adapting to the creation of new solutions and technologies, etc.

A lot of effort and money has been invested in the lighting sector. More than 20% of projects are dedicated to improving the energy efficiency of lighting equipment. Next in importance are projects on thermal insulation, increasing and optimizing the efficiency of boiler equipment, etc.

Energy efficiency in Ukraine

The International Energy Agency regularly provides data on the level of energy efficiency in various countries. Thus, this indicator for Ukraine in 2014 was 60% of the indicators observed in the countries of the European Union. 60% of energy efficiency programs in our country are devoted to residential and industrial sectors.

According to the World Bank, the implementation of energy efficiency measures in the field of heat supply of residential buildings can reduce heating costs by almost 2 times. In Ukraine, there is a huge energy saving potential, but its implementation requires a faster response in order to reduce the gap with the achievements of developed European countries.

How to celebrate World Energy Efficiency Day?

On this day, educational institutions hold events that inform the younger generation about the importance of energy efficiency for the environment. Ways to solve problems related to irrational use of energy are being considered at the state level. Also, each person can think about a number of important questions:

1. How to reduce the level of artificial lighting by using natural light.
2. About the need to turn off household and office appliances when they are idle.
3. Replacement of old, uneconomical equipment with high-efficiency equipment.
4. Replacement of lighting devices. For example, replace energy-consuming incandescent lamps with LED ones.
5. Movement on ecological modes of transport: bicycles, electric transport.

When will we celebrate World energy efficiency day?