The past three decades have seen a significant evolution in the science, practices and impact of energy efficiency. Energy efficiency has gradually emerged from being an advocacy subject to a powerful, cost-effective, and environment-friendly policy tool to narrow the widening supply-demand gap facing the nation today. As per the Integrated Energy Report, energy conservation programs, if designed and executed properly, can obviate the need for 25,000 MW additional generation capacity. Energy conservation potential for the economy as a whole has been assessed as 23% with maximum potential in Industrial and Agricultural Sectors (Planning Commission, Govt of India, August 2006).

Considering the vast potential of energy savings and benefits of energy efficiency, the Government of India enacted the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 in October 2001. The Energy Conservation Act, 2001 became effective from 1st March, 2002. The Act provides for institutionalizing and strengthening delivery mechanism for energy efficiency programs in the country and provides a framework for the much-needed coordination between various government entities. The Act also provides legal framework, and a regulatory mechanism at the Central and State Government levels.

As per the EC Act, Government of India established Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) with the Mission to develop policy and strategies with a thrust on self-regulation and market principles, within the overall framework of the Energy Conservation Act (EC Act), 2001 with the primary objective of reducing energy intensity of the Indian economy. This will be achieved with active participation of all stakeholders, resulting in accelerated and sustained adoption of energy efficiency in all sectors. Among the key stakeholders are the State Designated Agencies (SDAs) established by State Governments in consultation with BEE with the responsibility to implement the Act within the state through various regulatory and promotional instruments.

EC Act – 2001   Link

PEDA- Designated Agency

Commercial building sector in India is expanding rapidly at over 9% per year spurred largely by the strong growth in the services sector;

Electricity consumption in the commercial sector in India at present accounts for about 8% of the total electricity supplied by the Electricity Utilities, and has been growing annually at about 11-12%. This is mainly attributed to the increasing energy intensiveness of newly constructed commercial buildings;

Several studies in the country have shown that energy efficiency is not getting adequate attention when the new buildings are designed. Incorporation of energy efficiency provisions at the design stage of the new buildings is critical and will soon become mandatory – Better to be proactive than keeping in view the Energy Conservation Act 2001 (EC Act), Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) with technical support from USAID under its Energy Conservation and Comercialisation (ECO) Project, has developed Energy Conservation Building Codes (ECBC);

ECBC, considering five climatic zones in India, sets the minimum energy performance standards for large commercial buildings that have a connected load of 500 kW or greater or a contract demand of 600 kVA or more, having conditioned area of 1000 sq. m. or more;

Annual energy consumption in the conditioned commercial buildings in the country is estimated to be about 200 kWh or more per sq. m of fl oor area;Electricity consumption in ECBC compliant buildings can be brought down to 120-160 kWh per sq.m., showing energy saving potential of 20- 40 % depending on the hours of building use during the day, climatic conditions, etc.;

Ministry of Power, Government of India launched ECBC 2007 on 27 May 2007 for its implementation in commercial buildings on voluntary basis all over India, with a view to make this mandatory in the next couple of years depending upon the experience gained during the voluntary period;

ECBC encourages energy effi ciency for all building components and systems such as building envelope, lighting, heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), service water heating, and electric power and motors within the building facilities, while enhancing the thermal and visual comforts and productivity of the occupants;

ECBC mandates/prescribes U-factor and R values of insulation assembly for five climatic zones in India, Solar Heat Gain Coefficients and Visible Light Transmission levels for fenestration, energy efficiency levels of air conditioning systems, and number of other parameters for ECBC compliance in commercial buildings. In this context, good understanding of ECBC features and application of several developed products and technologies could play an important role in improving energy efficiency in the buildings, leading to energy cost savings for the building owners/users.

PDF notification

http://www.bee-india.nic.in/sidelinks/ECBC.html

• PEDA has compiled a database of 678 industries having connected load of 500KW or more.
  
  
• Energy audit conducted in 24 industries indicate total annual energy saving potential of approx. 11,407 MWh.
  
  
• Fifteen Designated Consumers have been identified in the state. Energy Managers have been appointed in all these industries for submitting annual energy reports to PEDA/BEE.
  
  
• PEDA has signed MOU with USAID/IRG for undertaking energy conservation activities in the state under ECO-III project with a focus on promoting energy efficiency in Small and Medium Enterprises and Buildings. The cluster of SME in Textile industries at Ludhiana has been identified and work is in progress in these industries.

• Energy audit conducted in three State Govt. headquarters buildings for adoption of energy efficiency measures viz PSEB Head office, Patiala, PUDA Bhawan, Mohali and MARKFED House, Chandigarh. Net energy saving potential of 187 MWh has been identified in these energy audits.
  
  
• Eight more government buildings have been identified for carrying out detailed energy audit and for implementing energy savings measures through ESCO route. The building of Punjab Mini Secretariat, Sector-9, Chandigarh has been selected as model demonstration project for implementation of energy efficiency measures through ESCO route.
  
  
• State govt. buildings such as District Administrative Complex, Judical Court Complex, Civil Hospital, universities, municipal corporation/committee offices, other important buildings has been selected for adoption of energy efficiency measures and energy data of fifty five buildings have been collected.  This energy data will be further analyzed to come up with energy consumption benchmarks for public sector buildings that will help in screening buildings suitable for energy efficiency projects; with the help of USAID ECO-III project.
  
  
• State level meeting with seniors officers of Punjab PWD B&R (Electrical) organised in order to sensitize them for adopting energy conservation measures in govt. buildings in the state through ESCO route.

• Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) has been circuated to all concerned departments for its implementation on voluntary basis
  
  
• State level ECBC awareness workshop organised at CII, Chandigarh on 4th December, 2007 under USAID/IRG ECO-III project.

• Eight thousand street lights have been changed with energy-efficient lights in Amritsar municipal corporation through the route of ESCO.
  
  
• Meeting held with Principal Secretary, Local Govt. Punjab for replacing street lights with energy efficient lights in all the 5 Municipal Corporations and 133 Municipal Committees in the state. Baseline data for existing street lights is being collected.
  
  
• PSEB is in the process of procurement of energy-efficient lights to be replaced in all their offices, guest houses, colonies and thermal power station.
  
  
• Agriculture pumping consumers are directed to replace bulbs with 20 watt CFL by 31.1.2008.

• Energy Conservation awareness campaign launched in 250 schools / colleges by imparting lectures through our field staff and displaying energy conservation tips.
  
  
• Disteict level painting competition organised in the schools for class 4th and 5th on energy conservation in September. 50 paintings were selected for state level competition from which 3 have been selected for national level competition.
  
  
• Continuous mass awareness being created among the people through display of Mobile Exhibition Van / Battery Operated Vehicle.
  
  
• 100,000 book stickers distributed in the schools in all the districts.
  
  
• Energy conservation slogan boards prepared.

• State Govt. Notification issued on 20.1.2006 regarding the mandatory use of Solar Water Heating System, Compact Fluorescent lamps, BIS marked pumpsets in Govt. & private buildings including industries and use of Solar Water Heating Systems made mandatory in buildings having area of more than 500 Sq. Yrds.
  
  
• State Govt. directive issued on 22.8.2007 to replace incandescent bulbs with CFLs in all Govt. buildings and offices, including Government Guest Houses, Offices of Board, Corporation, Cooperative Organizations and Municipalities no later than three months from the date of issue.
  
  
• Punjab is the first State in the country to have issued directive on 6.12.2007 for mandatory use of compact fluorescent lamps for AP consumers. It will be mandatory to use CFLs (20W maximum) at each of the 2No. Lighting points allowed at each AP consumer tubewell kothas w.e.f. 1.2.2008.
  

• Under the joint cooperation of BEE, Ministry of Power, Govt. of India and ADEME, France, PEDA has planned following Energy Information Centres (EIC)
  
  
• One State Level EIC at PEDA Office, Chandigarh
  
  
• 20 EICs at Distt. Headquarters
  
  
• The proposal of two model EIC, one at PEDA Office Complex, Chandigarh and another at Community Polytechnic, Palahi near Phagwara, Distt: Kapurthala, has been submitted to the ADEME, France.

1. Energy Conservation Action Plan (ECAP) – 2007-12

1. BEE Accredited Energy Auditors
http://www.bee-india.nic.in/sidelinks/Announcement/Accr2005/accreditedEnergyAuditors2005.htm

2. Standard & Labeling
http://www.bee-india.nic.in/Implementation/Standards%20&%20Labellings.html