• analysis and modelling of energy sector development of municipalities, which enable to forecast in short and medium periods;

• analysis of activity indicators of heat sector companies, taking into account economical and social factors and impact of regulation measures;

• integration of local and renewable energy sources into regional energy development programmes;

• development of data basis for energy sector development of municipalities and macroeconomic analysis of issues at regional level.

 

 

In 2008 state funded scientific research project Planning Principles and Implementation Possibilities of Sustainable Energy Development was launched. Principles and implementation experience of sustainable regional energy development, issues of Lithuanian regions and urban energy sector and planning condition are analysed in the project.

 

Sustainable energy development in regions is one of European energy policy elements, related to implementation of sustainable society development conception, which will enable to achieve target objectives – security and reliability of energy supply, availability for all social layers and meeting the responsibilities in the field of climate change prevention.

Previous means cannot ensure the implementation of these objectives, further on energy dependence of countries on imported sources is increasing, structure of consumed energy sources slowly changes, and hazard prevails that obligations will not be met in the field of climate change prevention. From social point of view development trends of Lithuanian regions (districts) have been negative. Regional differences increased despite declared activities. Data of recent years indicated a certain shit in trends – economical and social differences do not increase among regions.

 

Elements of conception “sustainable development”

 

State funded scientific research project Development of Assessment Methodology of Sustainable Aspects of Energy Resources’ Utilization was completed in 2008. The objective of it was to develop the methodology of economic, social, environmental, reliability aspects of energy sources to justify and evaluate the perspective of sustainable energy development. While implementing the project, the following tasks were tackled:

 

• Connections of decision-making among energy development, economy growth and social and energy supply reliability issues (positive impact) and secondary negative impact regarding environmental pollution and market perversions in various enterprises, cities and regions were estimated;

• Propositions of economy theory on issues of energy source reliability supply were discussed;

• One of the most contemporary questions on economical theory was answered: why means of economical policy should be taken to promote consumption of renewable energy sources.

 

In accordance with agreement with the Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Lithuania project Development of Monitoring the Increase of Efficient Energy Use was implemented by the Laboratory researchers. The objective of the project was to perform applied scientific research and prepare projects of legal acts (methodologies), designed to estimate growth of efficient energy use and saved amount of energy due to application of means, which increase efficient energy use in different branches of country’s economy sector and fields of energy activity. After reviewing Lithuanian legal documents, which regulate energy generation, efficiency of supply and consumption, it may be stated that common documents (laws) very generally define conception of efficient energy use and do not regulate monitoring system in Lithuania. Developed monitoring system of efficient energy use increase in Lithuania may beneficially overtake certain principles and methodologies, for example, assessment and verification of renewable energy sources and combined energy and heat production projects, uncertainty assessment, and other assessment methods.

 

 

Basic functioning scheme of monitoring system  

 

Summarizing previously presented analysis, monitoring scheme of energy consumption efficiency was developed by integrating two main methods – “from individual to common” and from “common to individual” and choosing relevant methodologies. Monitoring system of efficient energy use increase is developed in accordance with National Efficient Energy Use Increase Programme 2006–2010, where organizational, legal, economical educational and informative means are foreseen to increase efficiency of energy sources and energy use.

 

In international cooperation context, besides efficient energy use monitoring inside the country, the execution of country’s responsibilities in accordance with Directive2006/32/EC on Energy End-use Efficiency and Energy Services is as much important.

 

 

In accordance with bilateral cooperation programme in the field of scientific research, project Comparative Analysis of Heat Sector State and Problems of Ukrainian and Lithuanian Municipalities was carried out. Project partner – Institute of Technical Thermal Physics of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine. The project is devoted to compare heat economy sectors of municipalities of two post-Soviet countries – Ukraine and Lithuania, to estimate outcomes and perspectives of reforms, implemented in most problematic energy sectors.

 

 

Results of the analysis enable to state that reforms of municipalities’ heat sector while transferring to market economy principles in Ukraine are still in initial state and obvious deviations from market economy are observed. Comparing with the situation in Lithuania, essential differences in institutional basis of activity regulation of this sector and information environment have been revealed while forming market relations.

 

 

Growth of gross domestic product per habitant in Lithuania and
Ukraine

6th Framework Programme Project EIFN (Energy Innovation Financing Network) in the framework of INNOVA programme was completed. A wide network of energy enterprises and institutions as well as financial agencies, which will help to implement the EU innovations and energy policy, offering financial services in energy sector, making practical and effective decisions, which would enable the access of innovation agencies to financing sources in energy sector, was developed. While implementing the project LEI participants submitted to energy society possibilities of this project and INNOVA network in seminars and local conferences.

 

Final report of international RUSE project – Redirecting Urban Areas Development towards Sustainable Energy (under INTERREG-IIIC programme) was completed. The aim of the project is to support new EU countries in directing energy policy towards sustainable development, using the Structural Funds. This support is provided at urban development level, by rendering the experience of 15 old EU members in various aspects of energy sector. Collected material is analysed, summarized and published at www.ruse-europe.org, used in publications and submitted to new EU member states.

 

Aiming at achieving the objective, the consortium comprised of 20 partners, where LEI was one of 4 main partners, organized a four year activity. Collected material was summarized and published at www.ruse-europe.org.

  

Final report of Sustainable Energy Investments for Consistent Urban Environmental Management (SEIPLED) project was prepared. Scientific and practical task is solved in the project on how to relate implementation of renewable energy (in this case application of biogas technologies) with common energy and economy policy, whereas national role, while organizing and giving financial support, ground on overall positive effect, which would be the outcome of practical implementation of projects.

 

Environmental requirements which are getting stricter conditioned development of production sector in all EU countries. Achieving two objectives – to reduce environment pollution and generate energy, biogas production enterprises have been established in all EU countries. Stockbreeding organic waste is main source of biogas production raw materials in Lithuania and EU. Biogas, obtained during anaerobic organic material separation may be used a energy source to produce electricity and heat or as gaseous fuel. Thus development of biogas electricity sector is related to present state and perspectives of country’s stockbreeding.

REDUBAR (Investigations Targeted to the Reduction of Administrative Barriers for the Use of Gaseous Fuels Produced Decentralised from Renewable Energy Sources) project was implemented in the framework of Intelligent Energy – Europe. Coordinator of the project – Gas-und Umwelttechnik GmbH (DBI), one of the largest German gas institutes.

 

At present biogas in Western Europe biogas is usually used in their production site to generate electricity, whereas heat obtained during production process is not practically used. This project is initiated aiming at higher energy efficiency using biogas. Objective of the project is to analyse and submit recommendations eliminating administrative and technological barriers and developing legal means to use biogas for heating, airing and electricity generation.

 

Implementing the project, legal regulating bases (laws, rules, technical regulations) of the countries, which participated in the project, were overviewed and analysed; standards and regulations, related to necessary quality of biogas, wishing to transport them via natural gas networks, were analysed; a thorough analysis of valid technical standards and instructions was carried out, it enables to group them according influence and importance; positive practice of biogas transportation via natural gas networks was analysed and described. Barriers which emerge during the project and impede biogas spraying process were analysed. Theoretical modelling was carried out aiming to find out possible barriers if each part of the chain (supply, production, improvement of biogas quality, consumers and investors) would operate individually; mathematical and financial model was designed to compare the power plants, fired by biogas and natural gas.

 

In 2008 researchers of the Laboratory published 1 article in ISI journal (Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews), 1 article in peer-reviewed journal. Researchers of the Laboratory presented 6 papers at Lithuanian and 2 at international conferences, the papers were published in conference material.

 

Researchers of the Laboratory perform scientific research and advisory activities and provide services in accordance with agreements with Lithuanian public institutions, enterprises and organizations.