Mahmoud Najafi-Arab, in a meeting with Hamid Bord, the head of the Ministry of Oil, emphasized the need to utilize the capacities of the private sector to solve the challenges in the energy sector. He stated that the private sector is ready to cooperate with the Ministry of Oil in consumption management, energy supply, and overcoming upcoming crises.
Energy Consumption Management and Optimization
Najafi-Arab emphasized the necessity of energy consumption management, adding: "We must utilize the capacities of private sector organizations to provide solutions such as optimizing the consumption of gas heaters and managing consumption in the household sector." He clarified that the implementation of these programs should be such that the economic interests of the private sector are also considered, as without economic justification, the continuity and effective execution of the plans are not possible.
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Attention to the Household and Commercial Sectors
The head of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce, referring to the high share of the household sector in gas consumption, emphasized the necessity of serious attention to reforming consumption patterns in this sector. He also pointed out the need for consumption management in commercial and retail centers, stating: "The consumption patterns and operating hours of commercial centers must also be reviewed, and the experiences of other countries in this regard should be utilized."
Najafi-Arab further highlighted the importance of using alternative fuels in cooperation with responsible agencies, reminding that companies and industrial units should take action now to complete their liquid fuel reserves and not postpone fuel supply until a crisis occurs.
Examining Gas Import Solutions
He also stressed the necessity of examining gas import solutions, saying: "Joint meetings between the Ministry of Oil and the private sector should be held to explore the possibility of gas imports or utilizing other energy supply capacities so that we face the least amount of outages during the cold season."
Najafi-Arab pointed out the important role of the provinces of Mazandaran, Golestan, and Gilan in supplying protein products, emphasizing the need for sustainable energy supply in these regions and stating: "The sustainable energy supply of these areas must be seriously considered in planning."
In this meeting, attended by members of the Tehran Chamber of Commerce's board of directors, some members expressed their views on the cooperation of the private sector with the oil industry and demand management in the energy sector.
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