core sector communique

Prime Minister Calls for Increasing Proportion of Clean Energy in Total Energy Consumption

Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh has reiterated India’s commitment to increasing the proportion of clean energy in its total energy consumption, as spelt out in the National Action Plan on Climate Change. He was inaugurating the National Energy Conservation Day function in New Delhi today. Stating that the target of 9 percent annual growth in GDP in the 12th Five Year Plan would increase energy consumption rapidly, Dr. Singh called for redoubling efforts both to increase the domestic supply of energy and to reduce the energy intensity of India’s GDP.

The Prime Minister pointed out that since India is largely dependent on fossil fuels, any improvement in the energy efficiency of India’s thermal power generation plants will help reduce energy intensity of country’s GDP. To this end, he said, India must encourage increased use of super critical and ultra-super critical technologies for power generation. He added that efforts are being made to create domestic capacities for building such power plants. Dr. Singh called for encouraging increased use of public transport in the cities, shift in the mode of freight movement from roads to railways, use of new technologies like Integrated Gasification Combined Cycle and energy efficient use of gas plants through facilitating distributed generation. He said these steps would also contribute to India’s efforts to deal with the problem of Climate Change by reducing carbon foot print.

Dr. Singh said the successful implementation of the National Mission on Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE) by the Ministry of Power would lead to annual fuel savings of about 23 million tons oil-equivalent - in coal, gas, and petroleum products, along with an expected avoided capacity addition of over 19,000 MW. He said the ongoing efforts have already resulted in about 9000 MW of avoided capacity generation.

The Prime Minister appreciated the efforts that have been made to promote energy efficiency in appliances, buildings and industry. He said labeling has been introduced for 16 major energy-consuming appliances and a national Energy Conservation Building Code has been prepared for new commercial buildings. Dr. Singh said in order to focus on energy savings by bulk consumers, 467 industrial units, accounting for 35% of total energy consumption have been declared Designated Consumers with prescribed reduction in specific energy consumption by 2014-15. He said efforts are also being made to improve energy efficiency in residential lighting and in agricultural pumping.

Dr. Singh congratulated the children who participated in the painting competition organized to spread the message of energy conservation and also the award winners who increased the cost effectiveness of their industrial and commercial activities.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister of Power Shri Sushilkumar Shinde said a number of schemes have been introduced for promotion of energy efficiency in India such as Standards and Labeling, Energy Conservation Building Code & Energy Efficiency in Existing Buildings, Bachat Lamp Yojana, strengthening State Designated Agency, Energy Efficiency in Small and Medium Enterprises, Agriculture & Municipal Demand Side Management, Contribution to State Energy Conservation Fund, Energy Conservation Awareness, Energy Conservation Awards & Painting Competition on Energy Conservation for school children. The Minister informed that in the next Plan, as part of the NMEEE, an innovative programme will be launched to accelerate the introduction of super-efficient appliances, such as fans and LED bulbs and tube lights, which are 50% more efficient than those sold today. He said, with these initiatives, India will achieve an avoided capacity of 10,000 MW and avoided investment of Rs. 50,000 crores during the 11th Plan.

Minister of State for Power Shri K.C.Venugopal said that India will surely meet the emerging challenges and will contribute towards making all sectors of Indian economy more efficient.

On the occasion, the Prime Minister presented the prizes to the 13 winners of the National Level Painting Competition under the National Campaign on Energy Conservation undertaken by the Ministry of Power and Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). The competition is held every year at the School, State and National Levels. This year, the competition saw a record participation from 58,848 schools and 20.7 lakhs students from across the country. He also presented awards to Education Secretaries of the States and Nodal Officers of States/UTs for organising painting competition on Energy Conservation. Shri Shinde presented the National Energy Conservation Awards to several industrial units and other establishments. The awardees represented 35 sectors including Large, Medium and Small Scale Industries; Hotels and Hospitals; Office Buildings; Shopping Malls; Zonal Railways; State Designated Agencies; Municipalities; Thermal Power Stations; and Manufacturers of Electrical Appliances carrying star labels certified by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). The participating units for the year 2011 have collectively saved 504 MW with an investment of Rs. 2201 crore in energy conservation measures and achieved a monetary savings of Rs. 2390 crore.