“The need for a transition to a proactive energy conservation policy is obvious to everybody. First of all, it allows for economising. The public, the state budget and Russian companies can pay less <…> Most importantly, the energy conservation policy results in a substantial quality upgrade, improves the structure of the economy, urges companies to upgrade production facilities, creates a big market for high-tech commodities and services as well as thousands of high-skilled and high-paid jobs.”
16 february 2010
Prime Minister Vladimir Putin during a Government Presidium meeting