Rustam Minnikhanov: “Energy-Saving Issues Essential at Any House and Any Enterprise”

On May 28, Tatarstan President Rustam Minnikhanov and Ambassador of Denmark to Russia Thomas Winkler took part in the conference on energy-saving technologies “Danfoss – Experience and Examples of Tatarstan” in Kazan.

Tatarstan President reminded that agreement to hold the conference was achieved within the framework of the economic forum in Davos.

Denmark is the leader in the field of energy saving and environmental protection, Tatarstan President noted. “We’ve visited your country not once, and we use many of your developments and technologies in Tatarstan,” Rustam Minnikhanov said.

“Energy saving is competitiveness, financial stability, energy and environmental security”, he marked.

According to Rustam Minnikhanov, the programmes that had been adopted and realized in the republic within the last 15 years, including those with Danfoss, yielded results. Reduction of GRP energy intensity made 47 percent.

Tatarstan President also drew attention to the issue of training of specialists in the field of energy efficiency. “This year more than 800 employees of state and municipal institutions have improved their professional skills,” Rustam Minnikhanov noted.

“We consider that Danfoss company should be closer to the customer both by its research centres and its production facilities. This will allow us to get the greater effect at the stage of design and operation. I see that the company’s approach is very serious. Today’s meeting is very important to us. I’m sure that issues of energy saving are essential at any house, building and at any enterprise”, Tatarstan President noted.

Ambassador of Denmark to Russia Thomas Winkler stressed that the relationships between Russia and their country are good and stable.

“Denmark will continue developing business relations with Russia in spite of the crisis between the Russian Federation and the European Union”, Thomas Winkler said.

He drew attention that this was his first visit to Tatarstan and thanked Rustam Minnikhanov for the warm welcome and participation in arrangement of the conference. “The republic is one of priority Russian regions for us,” he added and expressed hope that today’s conference will be one more step in strengthening cooperation between Denmark and the Republic of Tatarstan as a region of Russia.

Danfoss A/S President and CEO Niels B.Christiansen noted, in his turn, that the company has a long-term successful relationship with Russia, because our country is one of the key markets. Moreover, Russia takes the 4th place by sales volume. He also drew attention that Danfoss has long been working with Tatarstan and invited a delegation from Kazan to see how modern energy efficient houses and districts function in Europe and in Denmark in particular.

Danfoss General Director in Russia Mikhail Shapiro told that 24 business offices are located in our country and 900 employees are working here. About 30 percent of products sold in the Russian market are produced in our country. Mikhail Shapiro said that the company already has a successful experience in execution of large projects in the republic.

In terms of the conference, Tatarstan Government and Danfoss A/S signed an agreement. The agreement provides for cooperation in the field of energy saving and improvement of energy efficiency of public sector facilities, housing, various economic sectors, power economy in the first turn, capital construction, and utilities.

The document was signed by First Deputy Prime Minister of Tatarstan Aleksey Pesoshin and Danfoss A/S President and CEO Niels B.Christiansen.

Aleksey Pesoshin told at a press conference that much work was done in the field of energy saving, and in the field of heating in the first turn, in cooperation with this company in Tatarstan during years. The cooperation agreement with Danfoss A/S is signed for 5 years.