Experts from the Polish Energa Group companies presented measures that can help reduce electricity consumption for local governments across Poland, during a conference for representatives of local governments which recently took place in Warsaw, writes CE Energy News. Energa is an electricity distributor, producer and supplier with PKN Orlen as its dominant shareholder.

“Representatives of 86 urban and urban-rural communes with a population from 39,000 to 79,000 were invited to the conference. Ultimately, the conference was attended by delegates from nearly 20 local governments,” said Krzysztof Kopeć, Director of the Energa Press Office.

As highlighted in a press release from Energa, lighting costs can account for up to 30 per cent of a local authority’s total budget. One of the effective solutions aimed at reducing electricity consumption is the modernization of outdoor lighting, as well as that in public buildings – in offices, schools and other municipal institutions. Replacing the still very popular, but energy-intensive sodium and fluorescent lamps with modern LED luminaires helps to reduce energy consumption by up to 60 per cent per year, according to the press release.

Other energy efficiency measures solutions included an energy use audit (for example, planning activities aimed at reducing the costs of heat, energy and gas consumption, as well as giving the possibility of energy recovery) which, as stated in the press release, is increasingly used by business owners.

Subsequently, experts presented the optimization of consumption costs, involving an analysis of electricity consumption, as well as selecting solutions aimed at changing distribution parameters (tariff group or contracted capacity). The fiscal benefits of PV installations were also highlighted – local governments can be compensated for the unused energy produced from the installations that go to the grid.

Experts also presented the DSR (Demand Side Response) services, which enables incidental, temporary reduction of electricity consumption by end consumers during peak hours of energy demand in the national power system. Additionally, companies that sign a DSR contract are paid for their participation. The DSR service can result in annual electricity consumption savings of 120,000 złotych (23,300 euros) per MW, according to the source.