NATIONAL
ENERGY CONSERVATION DAY – 2012
(DECEMBER-14 )
1. The
National Energy Conservation day is celebrated every year on the 14th December.
This day goes a long way in spreading the message of energy conservation in the
society. On this day, Ministry of Power, with the objective of promoting energy
efficiency and conservation, presents the Energy Conservation Awards to
industries, buildings, zonal railways, state designated agencies, aviation,
manufacturers of BEE star-labeled appliances and municipalities and raise
awareness that energy conservation plays a big role in India’s response to
reducing global warming. The painting competition is held every year at the
School, State and National levels under the National Campaign on Energy
Conservation undertaken by the Ministry of Power and Bureau of Energy Efficiency.
2. Policies to promote energy efficiency, along with high energy
prices and structural changes in the Indian economy towards service sector have
resulted in a sharp decline in energy intensity of the Indian economy. Various
energy efficiency policies of Government of India have resulted in an avoided
generation capacity to the tune of 10,836 MW during 11th plan period.
3. The Hon’ble President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee, will
inaugurate the function and distribute prizes to the winners of the National
Energy Conservation Award and winners of National Level Painting Competition in
the gracious presence of Minister of State for Power, Shri. Jyotiraditya
Madhavrao Scindia, on December 14, 2012, in New Delhi on the National Energy
Conservation Day function.
4. The award scheme has been in operation since 1991 and now
includes 48 sectors of Industry and other establishments. The energy saving
areas identified by participating units suggest the potential for large scale
replication and of concrete measures which can help mitigate global warming.
5. The responses among the industrial and commercial units have
become very encouraging as is evident from the increasing participation level
(from 123 in 1999 to 773 in 2012). An inter-disciplinary Energy Conservation
Award Committee under the Chairmanship of Secretary Ministry of Power decided
the award winners for the current year, with members drawn from Ministry of
Power, Central Electricity Authority (CEA) National Productivity Council (NPC)
and from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE). The Ministry of Power has also
set up a Technical Sub-Committee to assist Award Committee in the finalization
of Awards.
6. The Award Committee this year has selected 29 units for First
prize, 27 units for Second Prize and 31 units for Certificate of Merit. The
awards are recognition of their demonstrated commitment to energy conservation
and efficiency.
7. The participating units of 2012 have collectively invested
Rs. 1,948 crore in energy conservation measures, and achieved a monetary
savings of Rs. 2,886 crore, implying a payback period of 8 months only, once
again proving the fact that energy conservation is a least cost option. The
participating units have also saved electrical energy of 4,177 Million kWh
which is equivalent to the energy generated from a 616 MW thermal power station
at a plant load factor (PLF) of 0.775. In other words, these participating
units have avoided the installation of power generating capacity equivalent to
616 MW thermal power stations in 2011-12, which would otherwise have been
required to meet the power demand of these units.
8. During the last 14 years of the Award Scheme (1999-2012), the
participating units have achieved 3,581 MW of avoided generation capacity and
saved Rs. 18,675 crores. The investment made on energy efficiency projects were
recovered within 18 months only. In energy terms, 22,133 Million kWh of
electrical power, 33.65 lakh kilolitre of oil, 149.53 lakh metric tonne of coal
and 22.8 billion cubic metre of gas was saved through energy conservation
measures of participating units.
9. The progressive industrial units and other establishments
have already realized the cost effectiveness of energy conservation measures.
Honouring their efforts on National Energy Conservation Day sends a message to
thousands of other industrial units and establishments that may have not yet
fully utilized their cost effective potential through energy conservation. It
is hoped that National Energy Conservation Award Scheme would help in
motivating the other energy consumers in joining and promoting of a nationwide
energy conservation movement. The summary of this year’s awards is in Annex-I.
10. The Ministry of Power and BEE has also undertaken the
National Campaign on Energy Conservation 2012. Under this campaign, School,
State and National levels Painting Competition on Energy Conservation was
executed. Across the country, 72,532 schools and 30.90 lakh students of 4th,
5th & 6th standard participated in the school level painting competition.
This year’s participation was about 50% higher than the previous year, which is
quite encouraging.
11. The state level painting competition was held on November 9,
2012, and the first three winners from each 35 states and UTs will be
participated in the National Painting Competition on December 12, 2012, to be
held in Noida. The young artists have come up with inspiring ideas with their
impressive paintings.
12. The National level winners of the Painting Competition will
be awarded with cash prizes: First prize of Rs.1, 00,000, (1no.) Second prize
(4 nos.) of Rs.50, 000 each, Third prize (8 nos.) of Rs.25, 000 each and
Consolation prize of Rs. 10,000 each (20 nos) on the National Energy
Conservation Day function. Eight trophies are also presented to State/UT level Nodal
Officers and State Education Secretaries. (Total Prizes: 41 Nos.)
13. The interest in energy conservation that has been generated
among children and their parents as a result of this painting competition
suggests that it is meeting its original objectiveness of enhancing awareness
in this area. It is now an instrumental activity in creating mass awareness on
the use of energy, particularly in the domestic sector.
Prof. John Kurakar
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