As public interest in energy saving and Renewable Energy Technologies increases, the Cyprus Employers and Industrialists’ Federation (OEB) is preparing to open its annual ‘SAVENERGY’ exhibition.
The expo to take place between 1-3 March at the Cyprus International Fair, will be co-organised with the Ministry of Energy, Commerce and Industry and the Electricity Authority of Cyprus. The event is to concentrate on technologies on saving energy and promoting the use of RES, with something for everyone.
Talking to the Financial Mirror Anthi Charalambous, the head of OEB’s Energy & Environment Service said that SAVENERGY is the biggest commercial event on energy taking place in Cyprus as it attracts more than 5,000.
Visitors will have the chance to see state-of-the-art technologies and services which can help them reduce their home or business electricity bill substantially while giving a hand to protect the environment.
“Consumers visiting the expo will have a first-hand opportunity to talk with experts on benefits from introducing such technologies in their homes or businesses,” said Charalambous.
“This is not just your usual expo where people just walk through, stopping momentarily at each kiosk. You see people genuinely interested in these products and spend the time to get expert insight on energy saving solutions such as thermal insulation of ceilings, the installation of photovoltaic systems, upgrades that can be made to their homes to make them more energy efficient,” she added.
Parallel to SAVENERGY 2019, OEB will also host three more expos on saving energy and protecting the environment at the same venue.
OEB, in the context of being socially responsible, is also organising the 12th Water and Environment Technologies Exhibition ‘ENVIROTEC 2019’, ‘CONSTRUCTIONS 2019’ and the ‘ELECTRO.NET 2019’expos.
Visitors of ENVIROTEC 2019 will have the opportunity to get information on innovative products, services and technologies that will help to save water while protecting the environment.
“With water reserves being so limited in our country, water saving technologies will certainly go a long way in relieving the public from water-cuts in the future.”
Explaining why OEB included an exhibition within the original SAVENERGY expo regarding construction and renovation, Charalambous said that saving energy and energy efficiency does not stop with investing in RES and saving energy technologies.
Saving energy, she said, has also to do with the construction industry and specifications applied to render buildings energy efficient.
Expo-goers will have the chance to get an insight into new building materials which increase energy efficiency such as isolation paints, bricks and windows.
“One of the new technologies which will certainly draw the attention of expo-goers are the latest geothermal technologies, used to regulate the temperature of buildings, utilizing the ground’s temperature,” said Charalambous.
“Considering this need and in order to provide a more complete picture and increase visitor choice for saving energy, OEB has also undertaken on behalf of Green Hemisphere Ltd the simultaneous organization of the Construction and Renovation Exhibition CONSTRUCTIONS 2019 as well as the Exhibition of Security Systems and Smart Networking ELECTRO .NET 2019.”
Energy-saving options
The four-in-one expo will give the visitor a full set of options in order to create a contemporary, energy-efficient home or business.
Charalambous added that OEB will also be hosting two seminars in order to educate professionals on new technologies applied in the construction and electrical installation sectors. The two seminars titled “Energy saving in buildings” and “Legislation in relation to the inspections of electrical installations”, will be held on 2 March.
OEB feels that it is important to make people aware of protecting the environment from a young age.
There will be a kiosk set up especially for the little ones where they will be able to learn the basics about protecting the environment and saving energy through ‘fun and games’.
Charalambous said that kids will be able to learn about protecting the environment, how to save water and how to use RES. “Our little friends will have the chance to play games, learning about RES, win prizes. Children will have the opportunity to build solar-powered cars with the help of our experts.”
The Minister of Energy George Lakkotrypis, who will be attending the opening ceremony, is to announce the government’s new incentives for the use of RES.
The government schemes, expected to be approved by parliament, include incentives for the installation of photovoltaic systems, thermal insulation of roofs, photovoltaic panels to create an electric or hybrid car charging station, replacement of solar water heaters and energy audits in small and medium-sized enterprises. The schemes will be presented by ministry officials at the Exhibition.
Some EUR 29 mln from state coffers is to go into financing these schemes. MPs are expected to vote in the relative legislation which will see amongst others, the increase of the subsidy for roof isolation from 25% to 35% with a limit of EUR 1500 from 1250.
Financing the installation of photovoltaic systems using the Net Metering method will have a budget of €5 mln. The subsidy will amount to €200 per kW with a maximum of €1,000. For vulnerable consumers, subsidies will amount to €900 per kW with a maximum of €3,600.
Meanwhile, co-organisers EAC has said that they fully acknowledge the urgency for Cyprus to meet is EU 2020 goals which foresee that 16% of all energy production has to come from RES and are working intensively towards increasing RES share in the electricity production market.
Talking at a press conference to promote the expo, EAC’s Chairman Michalis Komodromos said that a number of solar parks and alternative power generating projects currently in the pipeline are to contribute significantly in bringing down electricity bills and emissions caused by power production.
Komodromos said that within this framework, the EAC is open to competition as it will open the doors to even greater improvements of their services to customers and network users, to society and the environment.
