UD Ministry signs MoU to promote Energy Efficiency Programmes

Ministry of Urban Development has embarked on a major programme to improve energy use efficiency in bulk water supply, public lighting, transportation and domestic consumption in cities and towns across the country. The Ministry has signed a MoU with the Energy Efficiency Services Limited (ESSL), in this regard.

The MoU was signed by Neeraj Mandloi, Joint Secretary (Urban Development) and Saurabh Kumar, Managing Director of EESL, in the presence of the Minister of Urban Development M Venkaiah Naidu, Minister of Power, New and Renewable Energy Sources and Coal Piyush Goyal and Rajiv Gauba, Secretary (Urban Development).

Naidu said that energy audit and improving energy use efficiency is one of the mandated reforms under Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT) and this initiative would help the cities significantly.

Goyal said, ???EESL has done a great job over the last one year in promoting energy use efficiency programmes across the country and has done much better than the private sector. EESL will ensure supply of latest technology for municipal programmes.???

In the MoU, it has been stated that energy costs account for 40% to 60% of the cost of water supply in urban areas and energy efficiency interventions can reduce this cost by 25% to 40%, depending on the type and age of machines being used for bulk water supply. Quoting Central Electricity Authority (CEA) it has been stated that urban local bodies can save about Rs 6,000 crore per year through such interventions in water supply and public lighting alone beside avoiding the need for 1,150 MW of power.

Savings in the water supply is said to be Rs 3,200 crore and 600 MW of power while it would be Rs 2,800 crore and 550 MW in the case of public lighting per year. Emission of Carbon Dioxide, a climate change agent is estimated to be reduced by over seven million tonnes per year.

Source: Urbannewsdigest