For the attainment of green economy goals, subsidised by some HUF 150 billion in the past three years, the Development Ministry urges keeping competitiveness by complex and fast development.

Deputy State Secretary for Green Economy, Climate Change Policy and Priority Public Services Ferenc Hizó underlined the ministry’s commitment towards the green economy at a scientific symposium held in Budapest by Budapest University of Technology and Economic Sciences and Smart Future Innovation Cluster on 23 September, 2013.

At the event presenting the findings of research programmes in the field of energy storage and intelligent energy, the Deputy State Secretary spoke about innovation desired in order to reduce energy import dependency as well as of opportunities inherent in combining information technology with energy management and the operation of buildings with transport. In the global market competition, the speed of introduction of new technologies could be decisive, he underlined.

As an example, Ferenc Hizó mentioned an EU support of HUF 826.9 m granted to MAVIR Ltd. in order to finance an energy storage facility as part of a project with a total budget of HUF 1.65 billion within the New Széchenyi Plan, which was only a small fragment of the HUF 150 billion spent by the Government and the Ministry on green economy development in the past three years.

Attained through the measures, almost one tenth, i.e. 9.3 per cent of Hungary’s energy consumption comes from renewable energy resources; the volume of thus produced thermal energy rose by some 20 per cent from 2011 to 2012. Thus, Hungary is in the right direction for meeting the commitment made towards the European Union: a renewable energy share of 14.65 per cent set for 2020.

(Ministry of National Development, Communications Department)