Answer:

♤ Energy is central to the growth and development of any nation but inefficient energy subsidies, machines, plants etc. are greatly affecting country’s energy prospects. Given the high prices in international market of oil and inability to produce energy domestically at cheaper rates, focus has to shift greatly towards energy efficiency in the country.

♤ Non-price initiatives have a very crucial role in promoting energy efficiency. National Mission on Enhanced Energy Efficiency which was launched in 2008 includes several ways to promote energy efficiency. The measures include labelling of consumer durables for energy efficiency, imposing targets for reducing energy use in energy intensive industries, introducing energy efficiency in buildings, etc. These programmes have resulted in avoided generation capacity of over 7,500 MW. Some of them have been discussed below:

♤ Standards and Labelling of Equipment and Appliances: Labelling has been introduced for 16 major energy consuming appliances, providing users with information on the energy use of a model and its relative efficiency as compared to others. It has been made compulsory for air-conditioners, refrigerators, tube lights etc.

♤ Energy Efficiency in buildings: A national energy conservation building code has been introduced. Over 700 buildings are at various stages of construction.

♤ Energy efficiency in industry: 467 industrial unites from 8 sectors have been declared as designated consumers. Together they account for about 35 percent of the total energy consumption in India. Each designated consumer has been prescribed a target percentage reduction in its specific energy consumption to be achieved by 2014-2015. A major programme to enhance energy efficiency of small and medium enterprises is also being launched, focusing on the SME clusters, and the development of local consultants, equipment vendors, and financial institutions through replicable pilot projects.

♤ Residential Lightning: The penetration of energy-efficiency compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) in the domestic sector has been relatively limited because of the high costs of CFLs. The Bachat Lamp Yojana (BLY) provides CFLs to households at the cost of incandescent bulbs.

♤ Shift in modes of transport from roads towards railways in the case of freights, greater use of public transport in cities, and use of inland water transport can also make a big difference to total energy use.