“One of our main priorities is the development of energy efficiency in the country. We have been actively working on this direction in the market for years. GIG is currently working on a windmills project and the replacement of an old, low-efficiency thermal power plant with a new high-efficiency one. We believe that these projects will help the energy independence of the country, as well as create a better environment to facilitate the future development of the country.”
In an interview with The FINANCIAL, Giorgi Emiridze, Executive Director of the Georgian Industrial Group, spoke about the company’s contribution to the development of green business in Georgia. He emphasised the projects and plans for the future that will have a positive impact on the development of the country’s economy and energy efficiency.
Q. What is your company’s main goal and vision for the market?
A. Georgian Industrial Group (GIG) is one of the largest industrial groups in Georgia. Its main vision is to evolve into a leading industrial group in Georgia, recognised for its prominent contribution to the country’s industrialisation, quality and reliability by investing in the future of Georgia. We are represented in several countries, including Georgia, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. Our investment portfolio includes the energy sector in several countries, industrial and construction materials production. We have a number of business partners, including those operating in healthcare, insurance, schools and many other diverse areas.
Q. What is GIG accomplishing in terms of energy efficiency?
A. Our group has been focused on energy efficient and renewable energy projects for years. We have also carried out a number of rearmaments of cutting Soviet machines. As a result, both production efficiency and environmental issues have significantly increased. GIG actively continues to operate in this direction in order to contribute to the energy efficiency of the country.
Q. What are the main projects that you have implemented that have contributed to sustainable business development?
A. One of the leading investment directions of GIG is energy efficiency; accordingly, we are implementing a number of projects in this direction. Years ago, we invested in renewable energy in Ukraine, building a solar power station which has been operating intensively and successfully for years. We would like to highlight the fact that for a certain period of time, during the war, this station was located in occupied territory; however, despite this, the station never stopped supplying electricity to the country’s energy grids.
We have long-term plans in Georgia regarding sustainable business development, which involve the implementation of various projects. By the end of the year, we are planning to install solar stations at almost all of our facilities throughout Georgia, which will ensure full power supply to these facilities.
Q. What are GIG’s short- and medium-term plans and projects that are going to be developed in terms of green business?
A. Currently, our group has started installing solar plants at its facilities across Georgia, which ensures the full supply of these facilities with sustainable sources of electricity. In the near future, GIG plans to help various companies across Georgia with similar projects and ensure the installation of solar stations in their infrastructure, which will increase energy efficiency and have a significant, positive impact on the environment. GIG is also working on a windmills project and the replacement of an old, low-efficiency thermal power plant with a new, high-efficiency one. We believe that these projects will help the energy independence of the country, as well as create a better environment for the future development of the country.
We believe that green and renewable energy will contribute to the long-term, effective development of the country. For this, the private and public sector should be consolidated, which will ensure the development of a correct action plan. All of this is a sign of long-term effective development and has a positive impact on both the economic and environmental progress of the country.
