Efforts in terms of savings are required at all levels while the deficit has slipped. And the State is no exception to the rule. The electricity and gas bill for state buildings has fallen by 150 million euros between 2022 and 2023, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said on Thursday March 28 in Paris.
“2023 was the year of energy sobriety”, welcomed the head of government during an event presenting the State’s “ecological transformation” plan.
11% reduction in state gas consumption
Initiated in 2022 to reduce the administration’s gas and electricity consumption, faced with fears of supply shortages linked to the Russian offensive in Ukraine, “energy sobriety” made it possible to reduce by 11% over one year. the State’s gas consumption, and 7% that of electricity, assured Gabriel Attal.
In its “ecological transformation” plan detailed Thursday at the National Museum of Natural History, the State aims to reduce its energy consumption by 10% between 2019 and 2024. By 2027, the objective is to reduce gas and electricity consumption by 25% compared to 2022.
According to the latest available data, the consumption of the State and its operators reached 20 terawatt hours in 2019. “In 2023, we saved 150 million euros” on energy bills, welcomed Gabriel Attal.
“This is unprecedented. 150 million euros is the cost of a beautiful new hospital, this is what was saved for the state budget thanks to energy sobriety”, illustrated the Prime minister. “We will continue this dynamic in 2024 to achieve 200 million euros in energy savings,” he continued.
The measurement remains imperfect
Despite these encouraging results, the measurement of the State’s energy consumption remains imperfect. According to the Ministry of Civil Service, the number of state buildings whose energy consumption can be monitored remotely and on a daily basis has increased from 5,000 in 2021 to 25,000 in 2024.
The State’s real estate portfolio includes a total of 190,000 buildings, but only 80% of them are intended to be connected to the real-time monitoring system for energy consumption, the ministry clarifies.
In 2024, “900 million euros are committed to the thermal renovation of state buildings”, operations which should make it possible to reduce their energy consumption, detailed Thursday Gabriel Attal.