Energy saving more important

Energy saving more important

JAKARTA (JP): The economic crisis is forcing businesses to
save money by paying more attention to energy conservation
practices, the state energy conservation consultancy PT Koneba
has said.

Company president Ramses O. Hutapea said yesterday that prior
to the crisis, few industries employed energy conservation
measures because fuel and electricity were cheap due to
government subsidies.

The government has announced that it would reduce fuel
subsidies this year resulting in increased fuel and electricity
prices.

"The high fuel and electricity prices will subsequently force
industries to conserve energy to reduce costs," Hutapea said
after a ceremony marking the completion of renovations to his
company headquarters on Jl. Walter Monginsidi, South Jakarta.

The ceremony was presided over by Minister of Mines and Energy
I.B. Sudjana.

Hutapea said Koneba, which was established in 1987 to provide
energy conservation technical assistance to companies, has about
100 clients, mostly state companies.

Koneba provides services in cooperation with companies such as
Econo Energy of Finland, Beak Engineering of Canada and Rotheon
Ebasco of the United States. (jsk)