A science and production cluster of energy and energy saving is to be set up in Kaluga region, information agency REX reports.

On October 20, 2011, Anatoly Artamonov, the governor of Kaluga region, chaired a session of the regional coordination council on science, innovation technologies and education, in the city of Obninsk. The participants discussed the issue of creating a science and production cluster of energy and energy saving in the region. The cluster is reportedly to solve the issued of development, production and implementation of modern technologies of energy production, as well as training qualified specialists in the sector.

A source in the Media Department of the regional Governor’s Administration told the IA REX that the Kaluga-based firm Turbokon had presented a number of innovative projects in the energy efficiency sector to the meeting participants. According to the authors of the projects, their realization will result in saving fuel, as well as lower technogenic discharge into the air, during energy generating process. Governor Artamonov underlines timeliness of the projects for the regional economy and expressed readiness to support promotion of the projects on the federal level.

The participants also talked about realizing a project of venture financing in the region. Under plans, by the end of this year a total of $5.4m is to be allocated from the regional venture fund to small innovation companies. Everyone agreed that priority investment should be into the projects of Kaluga innovators. Speaking of necessity of state support for scientific companies and projects, Anatoly Artamonov specified that this support was especially important at the beginning development stage. According to him, it is needed to create conditions for active involvement of students and teachers of the regional universities in the scientific and research work.