National Energy Conservation Awards | 07 Dec 2021

Why in News

Recently, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) felicitated various industrial units, institutions and establishments with 31^st National Energy Conservation Awards (NECA) on the occasion of National Energy Conservation Day (14^th December) to showcase India’s achievements in energy efficiency and conservation.

A new award - National Energy Efficiency Innovation Awards (NEEIA) is also institutionalized.

Bureau of Energy Efficiency

The BEE is a statutory body established through the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 under the Union Ministry of Power.
It assists in developing policies and strategies with the primary objective of reducing the energy intensity of the Indian economy.
BEE coordinates with designated consumers, designated agencies, and other organizations to identify and utilize the existing resources and infrastructure, in performing its functions.

Key Points

About:
- The Ministry of Power had launched a scheme in 1991, to give national recognition through awards to industries and establishments that have taken special efforts to reduce energy consumption while maintaining their production.
  - The awards were given away for the first time on 14^th December, 1991, which was declared as the National Energy Conservation Day.
- It recognizes the energy efficiency achievements in 56 sub-sectors across industry, establishments and institutions.
Energy Efficiency in India:
- Energy efficiency means using less energy to perform the same task – that is, eliminating energy waste. Energy efficiency brings a variety of benefits: reducing GreenHouse Gas (GHG) emissions, reducing demand for energy imports, and lowering our costs on a household and economy-wide level.
- India’s energy sector is set for a transition with recent developmental ambitions of the government e.g.
  - 175 GW of installed capacity of renewable energy by 2022, 24X7 Power for all, Housing for all by 2022, 100 smart cities mission, promotion of e- mobility, electrification of railway sector, 100% electrification of households, Solarization of agricultural pump sets, and promotion of clean cooking.
- India can avoid building 300 GW of new power generation up to 2040 with implementation of ambitious energy efficiency policies.
- Successful implementation of energy efficiency measures contributed to electricity savings of 7.14% of total electricity consumption of the country and emission reduction of 108.28 million tonnes of CO₂ during 2017-18.
Efforts Related to Energy Efficiency and Conservation:
- Indian:
  - Energy Conservation Act, 2001:
    - The Act provides regulatory mandates for: Standards & labeling of equipment and appliances; Energy conservation building codes for commercial buildings; and Energy consumption norms for energy intensive industries.
- PAT Scheme:
  - Perform Achieve and Trade Scheme (PAT) is a market based mechanism to enhance the cost effectiveness in improving the Energy Efficiency in Energy Intensive industries through certification of energy saving which can be traded.
- Standards and Labeling:
  - The scheme was launched in 2006 and is currently invoked for equipment/appliances Room Air Conditioner (Fixed/VariableSpeed), Ceiling Fan, Colour Television, Computer, Direct Cool Refrigerator etc.
- Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC):
  - It was developed for new commercial buildings in 2007.
  - It sets minimum energy standards for new commercial buildings having a connected load of 100kW (kilowatt) or contract demand of 120 KVA (kilovolt-ampere) and above.
- Demand Side Management:
  - DSM is the selection, planning, and implementation of measures intended to have an influence on the demand or customer-side of the electric meter.
- Global:
  - International Energy Agency:
    - IEA works with countries around the world to shape energy policies for a secure and sustainable future.
  - Sustainable Energy for All (SEforALL):
    - It is an international organization that works in partnership with the United Nations and leaders in government, the private sector, financial institutions and civil society to drive faster action towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 7 (SDG7).
  - Paris Agreement:
    - It is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. Its goal is to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, compared to pre-industrial levels.
  - Mission Innovation (MI):
    - It is a global initiative of 24 countries and the European Commission (on behalf of the European Union) to accelerate clean energy innovation.
Suggestions to Improve Energy Efficiency:
- Change in Energy Use Behaviour:
  - The high ambitions of citizens to live and work in comfortable air conditioned spaces with appliances providing ease of living will lead to a multi fold increase in energy consumption.
  - An approach to change the course of energy use behaviour through energy efficiency programmes is needed to curb future energy demand.
- Push for Nearly Zero Energy Buildings Programme:
  - It is crucial for India to push for the expansion of the Nearly Zero Energy Buildings (NZEB) programme to all segments of the construction sector. The objective of this programme is to develop a framework for conventional buildings to achieve low energy use per unit area.
- Amending the Electricity Act:
  - Also, India’s power sector is slated for a revamp with multiple policy level changes through the amendment of the Electricity Act.
- Installation of Smart Meters:
  - One of the major initiatives as a solution to issues like low billing efficiencies leading to revenue losses, heavy transmission and distribution losses, monitoring of electricity consumption, etc. is installation of smart meters.
  - The installation of smart meters at a fast pace can help India in facilitating energy efficiency interventions at a large scale.
- Energy efficiency interventions:
  - Embracing an energy efficient lifestyle will provide a positive impetus towards transformation of India’s energy system for the better. Energy efficiency interventions are one of the most cost-effective means of achieving a low carbon transition.

Source: PIB