KSEBOA - KSEB Officers' Association

Share this Twitter Digg Del.icio.us Slashdot Furl Yahoo Technorati Newsvine Googlize this Blinklist Facebook Wikio Hear this text Export PDF Print E-mail

The government’s star campaigner has just saved India around 6,528 million units of power, roughly equivalent to three days of
national consumption.The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), through its sustained campaign, prodded households to go for star-studded certified energy-saving appliances and ensured industries adopt new technologies, helping save electricity worth 1,500 mw in 2008-09, says a survey by the National Productivity Council.

As much as 2,106.16 million units of power was saved through BEE’s star rating programme for electrical appliances, in which the energy efficiency of a product is displayed according to the number of stars it commands. Similar programmes for ensuring industrial energy efficiency and promoting green buildings have saved 1,633.25 million units and 33.36 million units of electricity in 2008-09, shows the survey.

“The potential to cut down on power demand is huge. There is a need to shift the policy goals from energy conservation to energy efficiency and from energy inputs to the effectiveness of energy use and energy services,” said BEE director-general Ajay Mathur.

Firms such as Hindalco Industries, Ballarpur Paper Industries, Coromandel Fertilizers, IOL Chemicals and Pharmaceuticals and Mahindra and Mahindra have introduced new energy-efficient technologies to significantly reduce the power consumption in their units. For instance, Hindalco’s `pre-baked pot’ technology in its Orissa plant alone saved 800kwh of power in every tonne of aluminium produced.

Ballarpur Industries has reduced their coal consumption to 4,800 tonne per year from 5,700 tonne per year, by introducing thermo-compressors in their paper manufacturing plants. “India’s focus on energy conservation will ensure competitiveness in terms of lower costs and energy security in the long run,” said Chandrajit Banerjee, director-general of CII.

BEE, which functions under the power ministry, has set a target of saving 10,000 mw in the 11th Five-Year Plan (2007-2012). Of this, 2,100 mw has been met. While BEE has saved 1,500 mw in 2008-09, it is targeting 2,600 mw for 09-10 and 3,000 mw for 10-11.

“Capital investment is still high for such technologies and that is where the government needs to step in to provide better incentives to promote energy efficiency,” said Sunita Narain of the Centre for Science and Environment. BEE has proposed to provide tax advantage to consumers to encourage them to purchase more energy efficient electrical appliances. It wants the finance ministry to introduce a differential tax structure, where energy efficient devices attract lower levies.
Source- Times of India