The Prime Minister’s Office plans to reduce electricity consumption by 13% in 2011

The Prime Minister’s Office takes the lead
‘Now we can definitely say that the public sector is taking the lead, and laying out a roadmap for the rest of Denmark. The fact that the Prime Minister’s Office has signed on the dotted line to reduce electricity consumption in real terms is a really good reason for encouraging others to do the same.

Decoupling the increased consumption of electricity associated with the expansion of the Prime Minister’s Office presents a serious challenge, let alone actually reducing the amount of electricity used. This is a challenge with which most of Denmark is familiar.

This is exactly the problem that we must learn to solve if Denmark has to reduce its overall consumption of electricity. The Prime Minister’s Office is now doing something about this,’ says Christian Jarby, Manager for Public Sector Affairs at the Trust.

47,000 kWh per year
Under the terms of the agreement the Prime Minister’s Office will reduce its electricity consumption by 13% in 2011 compared with the amount of electricity used in 2007. This is equivalent to an annual saving of around 47,000 kWh.

This can also contribute to the budget of the Prime Minister’s Office, with the 47,000 kWh saved releasing funds of around DKK 80,000 (EUR 10,700) per year based on current costs of DKK 1.75 per kWh. Although not a staggering amount, it illustrates the point about saving electricity – also in a smaller ministry.

The Prime Minister’s Office has also agreed to register its electricity meters on the Trust’s ‘View Electricity Consumption’ online program throughout the period covered by the agreement. View Electricity Consumption registers the electricity consumed by public sector institutions and other large users. Last but not least, the Prime Minister’s Office has promised to be open about how electricity savings have been achieved.

Helping to keep the target on track
‘The target we have set ourselves is that we must reduce the amount of electricity used by the Prime Minister’s Office, also in real terms. This has proved to be a major challenge. Therefore, we have already received assistance from DONG Energy to produce an energy plan with specific savings initiatives. We are currently in the process of implementing the plan.

A Curve Breaker Agreement with the Trust will help us to keep the target in the plan on track. All being well, the electricity consumption by the Prime Minister’s Office will reduce by 13% in 2011 compared with 2007. So we are looking forward to the collaboration with the Trust, and the advice and guidance that the agreement can give us,’ says Torben Skovgaard Andersen, Head of Administration at the Prime Minister’s Office.

As part of the agreement the Trust has promised to help the Prime Minister’s Office achieve its target by providing guidance and tools. For example, the Trust offers coaching, and materials for use in behavioural campaigns.