Georgia’s state institutions welcome energy efficient lighting from 2017

Georgia is on a path to become more energy efficient by using greener technology that is more sustainable and cheaper to operate.

Lawmakers are currently preparing legislation that outlines the installation of energy-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) lights in state institutions from the beginning of 2017.

Georgia’s Energy Minister Kakha Kaladze announced this news at today's conference Tbilisi – Energy Efficient City, which was held within Sustainable Energy Week in Georgia.

We have been implementing important projects in the energy sector. Developing our energy efficiency is one of the core focuses of our energy development strategy.

Kaladze said Tbilisi City Hall had already started working on a project to replace all outdoor lighting with LED lights.

Meanwhile, we are also working on legislation to install LED lights in state institutions from 2017. This will allow us to save energy and pay less in energy costs.

Kaladze noted it was imperative the public realised the importance of being energy-efficient. He stressed energy-efficient lighting was cheaper to operate and had a longer operational life than normal light bulbs

Last year Georgia’s Economic Council approved a document that guaranteed 100,000 lamps in Tbilisi are replaced with LED products. This will save about 70 percent of the city’s energy.

Meanwhile, earlier this year Georgia started producing energy efficient light bulbs to supply the local and foreign market.

AG Microelectronics, a joint company between Georgia and Azerbaijan based in Rustavi, was established in 2015 as the first microelectronic plant in the South Caucasus that produced LED light bulbs. Since its creation the plant has produced 20,000 LED light bulbs, which were all sold locally in Georgia, but has the capacity to produce one million units per year.

Georgia's Energy Ministry visited the company in March and at the time announced the existing light bulbs used throughout the country will be replaced with energy efficient ones within the next 20 years.

This would allow the country to save about 10 billion kilowatts in total and about 500 billion kilowatts of energy per year.

Currently Georgia’s Energy Ministry together with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) was implementing the Georgia – First National Energy Efficiency Action Plan, which aimed to emphasise the use of energy-efficient materials in construction.

Meanwhile, with the support of the Danish Government, Georgia was about to launch a new project - Development of Energy Efficiency and Sustainable Development in Georgia.

Furthermore Georgia’s Energy Ministry was also involved in a project to create a Low Emission Development Strategy, initiated by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).