France: the first measures of the energy sobriety plan
The government's objective is to reduce consumption by 10%, as of now, to spend the winter in the midst of the energy crisis by avoiding cuts, in particular electricity cuts, if possible.
AFP - ERIC PIERMONT
Text by: RFI Follow
3 mins
The government will unveil Thursday, October 6 in its sobriety plan "
dozens of saving measures
", including an encouragement for teleworking, a financial incentive for carpooling or even the cutting of hot water in the administrations, according to information from the newspaper
Le
Parisien
confirmed by the Ministry of Energy Transition.
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For three hours, the government will present Thursday, October 6 with great fanfare at the Paris Exhibition Center
its battle plan for sobriety
, the fruit of several months' work with all the economic sectors of the country.
The objective is to reduce consumption by 10%, from now on, to spend the winter in the midst of the energy crisis, avoiding cuts if possible, in particular electricity.
For the government, this is the first step on the way to reducing energy consumption by 40% by 2050 in order to achieve carbon neutrality.
Dozens of measures for individuals, businesses and communities will be presented, according
to information from the newspaper
Le
Parisien
confirmed by the ministry.
Hot water cut
First of all, the administration wants to be “
exemplary
”, which will happen, for example, by cutting off hot water in the toilets of the administration buildings, except in the showers.
The government also wishes to encourage telework to limit travel and reduce heating in buildings, for example during a bridge – a measure which is only of interest from several days of closure.
► See also: Energy savings, a gateway to sobriety?
The Ministry of the Public Service will also announce a 15% increase in teleworking compensation for agents, which would go from 2.50 to 2.88 euros per day.
The government wants companies to do the same.
Drop in swimming pool temperature
If the recommended heating temperature in the private sector as in the public is 19 degrees, it could be lowered by one more degree in the event of an emergency, in administrative buildings.
In the world of sport and local communities, one degree less in swimming pools will be requested and the heating lowered in equipment, according to a source familiar with the matter.
On the private side, the government wants to encourage carpooling with the distribution of a bonus of 100 euros offered to each new subscriber to a carpooling platform.
The Ministry of Transport told AFP that it was working “
on an overall carpooling plan which will be presented in the coming weeks and will encourage this ecological and economical mode of transport, for daily trips
”, with “
financial incentives.
»
In terms of lighting, one of the axes of the sobriety plan in companies, a decree should be published Thursday to generalize to the whole country the extinction of store lights between 1 a.m. and 6 a.m., a ban which until now had exceptions depending on the size of the agglomerations.
These European countries that are implementing their energy sobriety plans
Faced with soaring energy prices, everywhere in Europe a single watchword: savings.
The Germans have indeed decided to reduce their gas consumption by 2 to 2.5%.
Savings of 11 billion euros are thus expected over two years.
Since September 1, the temperature in public buildings has not exceeded 19 degrees, with the exception of hospitals.
And the famous Brandenburg Gate in Berlin is no longer illuminated at night.
Lights out at night also in Austrian cities.
The famous Christmas market in Vienna is expected to open a week later.
Heating, air conditioning, hand washing in cold water... Everything is good for saving energy in Spain, Italy or Greece.
Greece, which has already reduced its gas consumption by 40% in September.
Finally, Lithuania thinks it could reduce its energy consumption by up to 20%.
The entire population remains mobilized.
The Lithuanian government expects 800 million euros in energy savings over two years.
► Also to listen: Energy sobriety and teleworking, instructions for use
(With
AFP)
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