THE SAVING ECONOMY
Let's try to economically assess the current situation. The need to economize resources can be talked as long as you want long and convincingly. However, manufacturers of electric power (CHP, GTEPP) are privately owned or state owned by companies operating as private. It is means, they are doing their business. And why should they save if they sell their goods very successful? They managed to convince antimonopolists of the need to increase tariffs. And they profit.
However, because of the deterioration of equipment (it reaches 70 per cent) produced huge amounts of energy are lost. However, the losses are factored in the tariff and paid by the consumer. The classical laws of supply and demand do not operate in this market, as electricity producers are not enough, they are usually monopolists in the regions.
So the only one to whom you can reach is the consumer. It can be persuaded to use energy-saving light bulbs and to switch off not using appliances, because the consumer wants to reduce his costs. But this option is not effective because of deterioration of infrastructure and big losses in energy production.
There is another option: to nationalize all electric power facilities. But it is impasse. Even if the power plants will be owned by the State, they will be managed as a private office, because our officials tend to do their business with the help of state enterprises. As the result nationalized CHP will work the same way as private. Even, perhaps, they will regularly ask subsidies from the state budget. (This has already come, for example, "Almaty Power Consolidated" and Zhambylskaya GRES which are in state ownership.)
EAGERNESS, WHICH IS WORTHY OF RESPECT?
What are undertaking in our country to save electricity?
Eleventh October 2007 the President stated that "feels the need to develop a coherent government programme, providing for measures of the administration and material incentives for energy savings works, as well as improving the legislative base." He noted that the energy output unit of GDP of Kazakhstan 3-4 times is higher than in industrialized countries. That is why it is needed to conduct a broad explanation work about the need of energy and water saving among the population, as well as to improve tariff policy that it will allow to modernize power plants of the republic.
Actually, from this moment it was attended to energy saving. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is preparing a new law "On Energy Saving", as the old, 1997, was disabled of "being a declarative character." State Enterprise "Energy saving» produced several articles for placement in the media. They give advice, for example, to dust regularly the fixtures for receiving more light. And the suppliers again raised the electricity tariffs, apparently being pleased by increasing attention.
ONLY ONE WAY OUT
Kanat Baigarin, chair of the department of methodology of scientific nature management BG in Almaty Energy Institute (AECI), is sure that there is only one way out - accession to the Kyoto Protocol. It will fundamentally change the rules of the game on the market of electric power and interest energy producers themselves in its economy.
We have production capacity severely deteriorated. According to Kanat Baigarin, only an upgrading of domestic power plants will significantly save energy and money. Now CHP owners are not interested to invest in new technologies. They earn on their production of light and heat. If Kazakhstan will join the Kyoto Protocol, it could be traded not only kilowatts, but also emissions, or rather, their reduction.
As atmosphere is common, the developed countries are interested in reducing emissions, not only on their territory, but also in other states. For this aim the Kyoto Protocol was thought out, thanks to him as our expert explains, was formed a new market - the market of greenhouse emissions. The states signed the protocol assume the quantitative commitments on emissions, i.e., promise that their emissions do not exceed a certain limit. If they exceed this limit, they can "buy" emission saved by other States from those who polluted the atmosphere less than promised. Or they can invest in improving the ecology in other countries. Kanat Baigarin leads an example: In Japan reducing of emissions per ton cost, for example, two hundred dollars. In Kazakhstan for the same money you can reduce emissions at twenty tons. Thus, Japan is fulfilling its obligations. And if the same Japan will provide Kazakhstan’s CHP new equipment, problem of modernization of the production will be solved. Modernization, in turn, means reducing energy losses in its production what is means an energy savings.
Moreover, an emissions trading between businesses within the country is possible. For example, CHP of Ekibastuz reduced emissions by 100 tons and these tons it sells another CHP or some factory.
The Kyoto Protocol foresees a mechanism for monitoring the electricity market, there are international structures, checking how many actually emit enterprises, and to bribe these structures is much more difficult than checking Kazakh authorities.
The Kyoto Protocol would set national policy and give impetus to the development of alternative energy sources. However, opponents of the same solar energy say that its production is too expensive. However Kanat Baigarin does not agree with that. Yes, kilowatt of solar energy costs 5 tenge, and coal - 1.5. However, because of the losses and because of transportation we still pay 8 tenge (in Almaty). So that solar energy will turn out even cheaper.
According to our expert, Kazakhstan has already assumed the obligations under the Kyoto Protocol; work in this direction is under way. However, private interests of influential groups hamper the promotion of the initiative. However, Kazakhstan does not have another way. The Kyoto Protocol is the only real mechanism for energy saving, suitable to our country in the current situation, chair of the BG department is confident.
Amina DZHALILOVA |
