NSC plans to save energy

This energy addition, says the NSC, could be achieved in the short and medium term through conservation, enhanced efficiency and shifting of focus to renewable sources. In a consumption-as-usual scenario, the country’s commercial energy sources of oil, gas, uranium and coal would exhaust in 25, 40, 80 and 200 years respectively, the report warns.

The report estimates that 500 domestic solar systems for heating 100 litres of water each could save a million kwh per year, while industrial solar use to heat eight million litres would save 10 million litres of fuel oil.

‘‘Building laws may be suitably amended to make the installation of solar power heaters in hotels, guest-houses, hospitals, government buildings etc, mandatory,’’ it says.

The report strongly recommends a switchover from incandescent bulbs to compact fluorescent lamps (CFL), with a target of 5 per cent of the bulbs getting replaced by CFLs over five years. It says it should be mandatory for government and public-sector buildings to replace all bulbs in two years.

‘‘A saving of 400 MW of peak power can be affected by replacing 10 million bulbs with 18 watt CFLs. Nearly 1.7 billion kwh of delivered peak power can be saved by 10 million CFLs,’’ the report adds. As India would need 30 million CFLs to meet the 5 per cent target, it also suggests monetary incentives for domestic manufacturers to increase output.

In order to save 200 million litres of petrol, the NSC suggests that the project on blending alcohol up to 5 per cent in petrol should be implemented in the entire country. At present, the scheme has only been implemented in nine states and four UTs. In addition, upto 20 per cent of bio-diesel, produced from Jatropha plants, may be mixed in high-speed diesel by 2011-12. A demonstration project by 2006-07 and commercial production in full swing by 2011-12 would save the country upto 20 per cent of the transport fuel, the report states.

For improving energy measures, the NSC report recommends certain stringent measures in the Energy Bill. The Bill, it says, provides for a modest fine on inefficient use of energy. This should be increased and ‘‘the fines so collected should be ploughed back to energy efficiency promotion schemes’’. At least 25,000 MW of power can be saved through improvements in energy efficiency.

A revival of the chulha programme, launched by former PM Rajiv Gandhi, would save the country nearly 80 lakh tonnes of wood per year, the report says. ‘‘Total saving over five years will be Rs 2,400 crore, while expense on installing the chulhas will be Rs 120 crore,’’ it explains. The programme had been terminated in 2002 as the states and the Centre differed on its implementation.