Turn the heating down a degree, leave the car parked more often and heat up food in the microwave. They are tips from a new campaign by the federal government to save energy and reduce Russia’s energy dependence. ‘Eleven million little bits, that makes a big difference,’ says Energy Minister Tinne Van der Straeten (Groen).
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It is an ‘information campaign with good advice for smart use of energy’, ‘without obligations or prohibitions’, it sounds. The campaign is accompanied by a radio spot on all national channels. A website has also been launched, ikhebimpact.bewhich contains the tips.
These are things that many people are already doing, such as turning down the heating a bit or leaving the car parked more often. But the government also recommends setting the heating to night mode an hour earlier or smart cooking and heating food in the microwave, which consumes four times less than a gas or induction fire.
• ‘Warming up our body ourselves, we have to learn that again’
The federal government itself sets a good example by lowering the heating in federal government buildings by one degree. To how many degrees those buildings are now heated depends on location to location, says administrator-general of the Buildings Agency Laurent Vrijdaghs. But the idea is not to go below 18 degrees.
The government is urging families to prepare now for the coming winter and to invest in things such as solar panels, insulation or a heat pump. The website links to the various regional premium systems that have been set up for this purpose.
Security of supply
The campaign follows the example of similar initiatives in France, the Netherlands and Germany. The latter country, like Austria and Italy, has meanwhile activated the first phase of the European emergency plans. Those three countries are heavily dependent on fossil fuels from Russia.
Belgium is much less so, emphasizes Van der Straeten. Our country imports 6 percent of its natural gas from Russia, in Germany that is a multiple. In addition, Belgium is well connected, including through the port of Zeebrugge, which is a hub for LNG, liquefied natural gas. ‘We monitor it closely with grid operator Fluxys every day and establish that the natural gas flows normally. We have no problems supplying our own families and industry and can still supply neighboring countries,” the minister assures.
Belgium is prepared, says Van der Straeten. In an absolute emergency – the third phase in the three-part emergency plans – this could lead to a limitation of energy throughput to other countries and the demand, especially for industry, to reduce consumption.
Belgium is more dependent on Russia for petroleum and uranium than for gas. Our country imports 30 percent of the total oil imports from Russia, for uranium this is 20 percent.
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