Strengthen energy efficiency sector: BEE's Abhay Bakre

Visakhapatnam: State governments should consider efforts to tap the country's energy efficiency investment potential of Rs 10 lakh crore by 2031 said Director General of Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) Abhay Bakre. Participating virtually in the inaugural session of the regional review meeting of SDAs by BEE with major states hosted by AP State Energy Conservation Mission (APSECM), SDA of Andhra Pradesh in Visakhapatnam on Thursday, the DG BEE Abhay Bakre said that BEE has set an ambitious goal to save 150 million tonnes of oil equivalent in all sectors by 2030.

As energy efficiency is considered to be an effective tool to increase energy security, the aim is to tap the country's energy efficiency investment potential of Rs 10 lakh crore by 2031, said Abhay Bakre. The BEE facilitation centre has identified 73 energy efficiency financing projects from pan-India in the past couple of months. Of which, around 30 projects were identified from Andhra Pradesh. All SDAs shall have to put extra efforts to get the energy efficiency financing projects materialised, said DG BEE.

The BEE has set-up a facilitation centre with an aim to encourage and upscale energy efficiency financing in the country through collection of the willingness forms from large industries, micro small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), commercial and institutional buildings, municipalities, corporations, and commercial establishments to seek bank financing for investments in energy efficiency measures. While reviewing the quarterly progress of the SDAs at Visakhapatnam, secretary of BEE R K Rai and its joint director Abhishek Sharma said India's target to achieve net zero emissions by 2070 can be achieved faster by sensitising the consumers/stakeholders particularly in key sectors of agriculture, industry, municipal and buildings and MSMEs.

Secretary BEE received a report of energy efficiency investment projects in Andhra Pradesh from CEO APSECM A Chandra Sekhara Reddy, director APEPDCL Ramesh Prasad and JD of BEE Abhishek Sharma to constitute around 12,000 energy clubs in AP.

Further, he said SDAs can undertake implementation of pilot projects that result in reducing fossil fuel consumption. These may include projects on electric cooking, especially for establishments such as canteens of hospitals, tourism department, anganwadi, schools, colleges, hostels, departments, etc. "SDAs can also explore possibilities of carrying out demonstration projects in the cold chain sector including pack-houses," the BEE secretary said. Senior executives from SDAs of various states and Union Territories and BEE officials participated in the event.