The Lithuanian Energy Ministry expects its energy saving plan to help the country save 800 million euros and 20% in energy use over two years, Energy Minister Dainius Kreivys has said.
Some 100 million euros should be saved by the public sector, 300 million euros by businesses and 400 million euros by households.
The plan will be mandatory for the public sector and recommended for businesses and private individuals, according to the minister.
Deputy Energy Minister Inga Ziliene said most of the measures were targeted at building management and the transport sector, which accounted for the largest share of energy consumption,
Meanwhile, the Energy Ministry’s proposal to limit the maximum speed on motorways to 110 km/h for an additional two months – from October through May – has been removed from the plan.
The Transport Ministry opposed the proposal, saying such a measure would be excessive, as the data from the Lithuanian Road Administration showed that the average annual speed on motorways was already 110 km/h.
As part of the plan, interior temperatures will have to be lowered to 19 degrees C during the heating season, while air conditioning will have to limited to 27 C during summer.
Public sector will also have to switch off hot water, as well as dim or switch off lights between midnight and 06:00. The measures are not mandatory, but recommended, for the private sector and individual households.
The Energy Ministry also recommends that institutions and businesses that already use remote work models allow their employees to work from home on Fridays and Mondays, which would make it possible to lower heating in buildings to 17 degrees for four days in a row.
Without saving measures, the state’s heating and electricity costs could surge to an estimated 250 million euros this year, from 98 million euros in 2021, according to the ministry. (LRT/Business World Magazine)
