Baku, Azerbaijan, Nov.17
By Nigar Guliyeva – Trend:
The World Bank and the Uzbek Ministry of Economy have organized a workshop focusing on the issues of introduction of international standard for energy management at Uzbekistan’s industrial enterprises in Tashkent.
The experts and representatives of industrial enterprises involved in the Pilot Program on the implementation of an energy management system informed the event participants about results that were achieved after introducing EnMs, as well as the lessons learned from the implementation process.
The industrial sector is the second largest energy end user, after the residential sector, and accounts for about 25 percent of total final energy consumption in Uzbekistan. The large presence of energy-intensive industries, obsolete production processes, inefficient equipment, and a general lack of systematic monitoring and control of energy use in industrial facilities have a major contributing factor to the high energy-intensity of the domestic economy, according to the Bank.
Using energy efficiently helps organizations save money as well as helping to conserve resources and tackle climate change. With the support of the Korean Green Growth Trust Fund (KGGTF), the World Bank and the Ministry launched the Pilot Program on Implementation of EnMs in March 2016. It is a part of the World Bank’s industrial energy efficiency assistance program.
The main objectives of the Pilot Program were to support broader adoption of EnMS by adapting international best practices in Uzbekistan, using tested methods: a practical EnMS implementation guidance book and training of local specialists for EnMS implementation support.
The Pilot Program focused on guiding flagship companies in energy intensive sectors to implement formal EnMS. As a result, JSC “Bekabadcement” and JSC “Quizilcumsement” became the first companies in the cement sector, and JSC “Kattakurgan yog’-moy” the first company in the edible oil sector, to implement formal EnMS certified to ISO50001. Their experience is now being replicated in other enterprises.
In 2016, JSC “Bekabadcement” became one of the first participants that joined the Pilot Program, having introduced EnMs at the enterprise after their staff underwent special trainings and developed plan of actions. JSC “Bekabadcement” representatives shared their experience with the workshop participants.
The implementation of EnMS, together with modernization investments helped the enterprise achieve reduction in gas and electricity consumption by 26% and 2%, respectively.
In Uzbekistan, the World Bank currently supports implementation of 16 projects, which are worth of around US$2 billion.