A seminar on Project "Eliminating the Obstacles to Higher Energy Efficiency of the Enterprises of the State Economy Sector of Belarus” was held on 25 August in Minsk. The Project is executed by the Committee on Energy Efficiency at the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus, under the auspices of the United Nations Development Programme and the Global Environment Facility.

The Project was launched on 1 July 2004 to stimulate the interest for higher energy efficiency in the state sector of the national economy. The objective is to be reached by developing mechanisms of personal encouragement of power-saving measures, introducing energy-saving technologies, creating the conditions for sustainable financing of the activity aimed at energy efficiency. The Project’s framework provides for establishment of a Power Engineering Centre meant to work with the organizations that belong to the state sector of Belarus. The main tasks set for the Center are: consulting and information services for the local authorities and the personnel of the state organizations in the domain of energy efficiency, including business-planning, instruction and education in the power engineering field; assistance in introduction of energy-efficient technologies; promotion of investments in the state sector and the effectiveness of the state allowances for the purposes of energy efficiency.

Among the participants there were First Deputy Chairman of the Committee on Energy Efficiency Mr. Schenets, UNDP Environmental Programme Associate Mr. Vergeychik, UN EEC’s Regional Advisor in Power Engineering Mr. Nadezhdin. RCTT’s Director Mr. Uspenskiy made a report on the topic "Experience of Creation and Activity of the Republican Centre for Technology Transfer in Belarus".

A wide scope of issues were taken up during the seminar, namely: realization of international projects in the field of energy efficiency for the CIS countries; coordination of the currently running international projects for energy efficiency in Belarus; economic stimulation of energy-saving activity in the state sector of Belarusian economy; creation of the Power Engineering Centre and its interaction with the Republican Centre for Technology Transfer.