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IAEEL newsletter 2/94

Support to economies in transition



Central planning and emphasis on heavy industry have left the countries of the former Soviet bloc and China among the least energy-efficient nations in the world. For example, the energy required to produce one unit of gross domestic product (GDP) in the former Soviet Union is two to three times higher than that required in Western market economies.

Per capita energy use in Poland and the former Czechoslovakia is 1.5 and 2 times higher, respectively, compared with Western Europe, while the countries' economic output is only one-third as high. Inefficient use of energy constrains economic growth by diverting capital and resources from more productive uses. For example, 40 percent of all industrial investment in Poland in the late 1980s was aimed simply at supplying its appetite for energy.

To address the needs for improved efficiency in former planned economies, the US Pacific Northwest Laboratories (the Advanced International Studies Unit at Batelle) has assisted in setting up energy efficiency centers with funding from the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the US government. Four institutions were created in 1990-92 to help Poland, the Czech and Slovak Republics, Russia, and Bulgaria save energy and foster economic development. In addition, a Chinese energy efficiency center was established in October 1993, in a collaboration between the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and Batelle.

The centers are responsible for managing their own projects under the guidance of a board of directors consisting of international experts and representatives of local government and non-government organizations. The centers conduct four main types of activities:

  • Policy research and development

  • Private business venture development

  • Training and demonstration projects

  • Public education and information services.


The Czechoslovak and Polish centers have arranged "business weeks". In November, the Czech center (SEVEn) will be arranging its third annual business week, with an emphasis on state-of-the-art technology. The center encourages exhibitors to attend. SEVEn also publishes a quarterly newsletter, News@SEVEn, in English and Czech. The newsletter informs members of the energy community about current energy efficiency events and developments in the Czech Republic and welcomes outside submissions. The free newsletter is also published electronically and can be obtained by contacting the center by e-mail.

Nils Borg

  • SEVEn · The Czech Center for Energy Efficiency
    Slezska 7, Prague 2, Czech Republic
    Tel:+42 2 2424 7552
    Fax: +42 2 2424 7597
    E-mail: seven@earn.cvut.cz

  • FEWE · The Polish Foundation for Energy Efficiency
    ul.Gorskiego 7-IIIp, 00-033 Warsaw, Poland
    Tel & Fax: +48 22 27 32 71 (Warsaw)
    +48 3 156 17 94 (Katowice)
    +48 3 155 27 29
    E-mail: fundwal@plearn.bitnet

  • CENEf · The Russian Center for Energy Efficiency
    ul. Verkhniya, 16th floor,
    127550 Moscow, Russia
    Tel & Fax: +7 095 482 4417

  • ENEFFECT · The Bulgarian Center for Energy Efficiency
    1-B Strumitza Str., IV floor,
    1 000 Sofia, Bulgaria
    Tel: +359 2 81 43 79

  • BECon · The Beijing Energy Efficiency Center
    Energy Research Institute,
    State Planning Commission, Bldg 917,
    An Wai Da Tun Lu,
    Beijing 100101, China
    Tel: +861 491 4956
    Fax: +861 208 3704
    E-mail: zhoudd@bepc2.ihep.ac.cn

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