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Government set to cut energy intensity of Belarus' GDP by seven percent this year

The Council of Ministers has issued a directive that provides for the energy intensity of Belarus' Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to decrease by seven percent in 2013.

The nation's GDP is forecast to grow by 8.5 percent this year, according to the Council of Ministers press office.

The directive requires the energy intensity of GDP to decrease by two percent year-on-year in the first three months of 2013, by three percent in the second quarter, and by five percent in the third quarter, the press office said.

The share of local fuels in the boiler and furnace fuel mix is to reach 25.5 percent next year. It is to total 21.5 percent in the first quarter of 2013, 23.5 percent in the second quarter and 24.5 percent in the third quarter.

All national-level governmental agencies are required to reduce their consumption of gasoline, diesel fuel and biodiesel fuel by seven percent.

The directive stipulates that a number of energy-efficient industrial facilities will be put into operation in Belarus this year and so will power generating facilities that would use local fuels and biogas. //BelaPAN