A workshop on effective energy use, technologies of efficient energy consumption, energy saving, energy audit and other aspects that can be classified as energy efficiency (EE), was held in Moscow on 18-19 September 2007. The event was organised by the CNCP Programme and brought together 41 participants, including representatives of enterprises and city administrations from closed Rosatom cities, nuclear centres in former Soviet Union Republics, financial communities, and companies that manufacture EE products or provide EE services.

The main goals of the workshop were to discuss energy efficiency as a promising commercial sphere which is able to create new jobs and a worthy application of former nuclear specialists' expertise. Another objective was to stimulate information exchange between companies already implementing projects in this area and organisations that are just now thinking of getting into this business.

The informative part of the meeting started with the presentation made by Patrick Gray, the CNCP Programme Leader, where he talked about the Partnership's activity and its priorities for the future. CNCP expert and representative of British Company AEA Technology Mark Allington talked about his company's experience in energy efficiency and the possibilities this industry offers to former nuclear specialists and their professional skills. Energy service companies, while implementing particular projects, face certain challenges related to recruitment of personnel and training, high start-up expenses required for market penetration and certain operation specifics. Sergei Kosyakov, the Director of Integrated Energy Saving Technologies Centre (IESTC, Seversk) gave an example, stating that it takes at least six months to retrain a highly-skilled nuclear engineer to become an energy auditor. Alexei Kholodov, the Director of the Center for Energy Efficiency and Diagnostics (Snezhinsk) spoke about the ways his company managed to solve the above-mentioned problems, which other companies (IESTC) are still dealing with.

The workshop gave a wonderful opportunity to express opinions, share knowledge and be convinced of the importance of energy efficiency as a good way to apply former nuclear specialists' knowledge, skills and experience. The work of such companies as DiagEn, ENEMONA, IESTC and AEA Technology demonstrated that energy efficiency is a promising business, which helps create new sustainable jobs in the civilian sector for former nuclear staff. The current energy situation in Russia predetermines the demand for such projects.