Energy Conservation and Energy Prices: The Hungarian Experience

Abstract

The main sources of emissions into the outdoor air are from the energy sector (e.g. power plants), industry, the transport sector and the residential sector (buildings). The danger from most of these emissions is the fact that heat plants and boilers of residential buildings in particular, are usually in the areas where people live and work and therefore their emissions may have a direct effect on health. The best way to improve this situation - to diminish emis sions and to improve air quality - is to increase the efficiency of both energy production and use. This also has important consequences for the economic use of the national energy carrier stock and diminishes the need to import energy which increases the competitiveness of goods produced. The Hungar ian government has set out an Energy Saving Programme to address, among other things the fact that the Hungarian average energy consumption per capi ta is less than the EU average but the energy intensity (the necessary energy to produce 1 USD GDP) is 3.5-4.0 times higher than the EU average. It has been shown that the best way to save energy is to invest in energy-conscious behav iour and training. Recent studies in public and residential buildings have shown that there is a potential for high energy saving in Hungarian buildings which is independent from the building technology used. Also, the pay-back times of investment in the building envelope are significantly higher than the pay-back times of investment in heating-ventilating or control systems, while the energy saved was of the same magnitude.