Head of the State Agency for Energy Efficiency and Energy Saving of Ukraine Serhiy Savchuk has signed a memorandum of cooperation on energy efficiency, energy saving and renewable energy between the State Agency for Energy Efficiency of Ukraine and the Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency (SIEA).

The press service of the Ukrainian agency reported that Savchuk was a member of the government delegation headed by Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatseniuk which visited Slovakia on September 10, 2015.

"The memo signed is an important document for Ukraine in energy efficiency, energy saving and renewable energy area, as Slovakia has passed the way Ukraine is going now. According to the national strategy for house renewal in Slovakia, in 2013 heating efficiency of 50.38% of apartment blocks in the country was modernized and [so were] 33% of private houses. By 2020, the indicators are to grow to 72.15% and 47.61% respectively. It is important for us to use the experience of Slovakia, as 80% of the housing fund in Ukraine requires modernization," Savchuk said.

He said that the Ukrainian energy efficiency program was drawn up on the basis of European experience, including the experience of Slovakia, and since the moment of its realization it has proven its effectiveness. He added that in Slovakia, from 2005 to 2013, a total of 599 projects in residential buildings worth EUR 91.5 million were realized.

Savchuk said that under the memo, the State Agency for Energy Efficiency and SIEA are to exchange experience on the introduction of effective financial schemes to support the implementation of projects on energy efficiency, renewable energy and alternative fuel.

The memorandum states that joint seminars and conferences will be held to study the best practices on energy efficiency.