• Energy Conservation Building Code: Energy Conservation Building Code (ECBC) was launched by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency and notified by the Punjab Government on 24.06.2016, for its mandatory use in commercial buildings. The purpose of ECBC is to provide minimum requirements for the energy efficient design and construction of buildings. This code is applicable for commercial buildings and building complexes with a connected load of 100 KW or contract demand of 120 KVA and above. The commercial buildings compliant with ECBC can result in an energy savings of 30-50% as compared to the conventional commercial buildings. The integration of SPV is also included in the ECBC 2017 compliance of ECBC code has been done in 89 nos of Commercial/Govt. Institutions in Punjab during 2017-20. 

Benefits of implementing ECBC- https://www.peda.gov.in/ec/commercial.php

  • Standards and Labeling (S&L): The Standard and Labeling programme for equipment & appliances was launched with an objective to provide the consumer an informed choice about energy-saving and thereby the cost-saving potential of the relevant products available in the market. The star labeling rates the energy efficiency of appliances on the scale of 1-5 with a 5-star label being the most energy-efficient. Currently, the scheme covers 26 types of equipment and appliances. The Govt. of Punjab in Sept. 2020 has issued the directions to all Govt. Departments to use BEE star labelled electrical appliances for efficient use of energy and its conservations. 

  • Perform Achieve & Trade Scheme: The Ministry of Power (MoP) has outlined a proposed "Perform, Achieve and Trade (PAT)" scheme. The scheme mandates energy efficiency targets for large energy consuming industrial units which are notified as Designated Consumers under the Energy Conservation Act-2001. BEE has notified various energy intensive sectors (Aluminum, Cement, Chlor-Alkali, Fertilizer, Iron & Steel, Paper & Pulp, Railways, Thermal Power, Textile, Refineries and DISCOMs) and identified Designated Consumers (DC’s) based on their annual energy consumption in these sectors for each PAT cycle having three years duration. These DCs are given targets to reduce their specific energy consumption in each cycle. Designated Consumers who over achieve their target are being issued Energy Saving Certificates (ESCerts) and those consumers who underachieve their target have to purchase ESCerts under the provision of the notification issued by Ministry of Power, Govt. of India. During the pat cycle VI (2020-23), Punjab has 3 no. of DC’s from the sectors identified by BEE.

  • Energy Efficiency in Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SME): Punjab State Council for Science and Technology is working in the field of energy conservation since last 30 years. It has developed demonstrated and replicated energy efficient technologies in the following industrial sectors:  

    • Brick Kilns: Earlier, the brick kilns were operated on natural draft & the coal consumption was 12-13 MT per lakh of bricks. PSCST developed environmental friendly Hybrid (Induced as well as natural draft) energy efficient zigzag firing Brick Kiln technology, leading to the reduction in fuel consumption by 15-20% in the kiln as well as reduction in CO2 generation by 200 tonnes per operating season per kiln. The technology has been replicated in 875 brick kilns in the State of Punjab, resulting in saving of approx. 1.0 lakh Ton of coal per annum.

    • Steel Re-Rolling Sector: PSCST has implemented Energy Efficient Technologies (EETs) in around 300 pulverized coal based steel re-rolling mills. EETs included reheating furnace design, waste heat recovery system, Coal pulverizers with improved metallurgy, Automation for furnace temperature control system, Effective insulation, etc. These 300 units have achieved 6-24 % reduction in annual specific energy consumption (around 1500 TJ) and associated CO2 emissions.

In recent technology developments, PSCST has successfully set up model demonstration units of PNG (cleaner fuel) based re-heating furnace in rolling mills. This has not only replaced the coal with PNG as fuel but also resulted in reducing the CO2 (GHG) emissions by 35-40% from demonstration units. 

    • Cupola Furnaces: Around 900 cupola foundries are in operation in Punjab for the production of cast iron castings. The raw material used is pig iron, cast iron scrap and foundry returns. Hard coke is used as fuel and limestone is used as fluxing agent. 

Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST) had set up demonstration units of Energy Efficient Divided Blast Cupola Furnace in the State which in turn results in saving of 10-15% of fuel consumption/unit. PSCST has also developed Air Pollution Control technology in the form of Wet Cap for cupola foundries having fuel saving potential of around 10%. The technology has been implemented in more than 800 cupola foundries resulting to the annual saving amounting to Rs. 14.0 crores.

    • Energy Audits: PSCST has team of Certified Energy Auditors from Bureau of Energy Efficiency, Ministry of Power, GoI, which have vast experience in carrying out the energy audit of industries/ institutional buildings. It has conducted energy audit of many prestigious institutions including Pushpa Gujral Science City (PGSC), Kapurthala (Awarded 2nd prize in energy conservation by the Hon’ble President of India); Virasat-E-Khalsa Complex, Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar, The Tribune Complex, Industrial Training Institutes (ITI’s), Punjab etc. The energy saving & GHG reduction potential identified during the audit by the respective institution is as under:

S. No.

Institution / Industry covered

Annual Energy Saving Potential identified

(%age)

Annual GHG Reduction Potential

(tons of CO2)

1

Mahatma Gandhi State Institute of Public Administration , Chandigarh

17.23

240.26

2

The Tribune Complex Chandigarh

24.5

362.19

3

M/s. Tiwana Oil Mills Pvt. Ltd. Sirhind, Punjab

45.0

961.62

4

Submersible Water supply schemes, DWSS, Mohali

1.76 (KWH)

144.64

5

M/s. NTC Concrete Products, Azuka Ropes Kala Amb, (HP)

14.1

75.78

6

Pushpa Gujral Science City, Jalandhar

23.0

291.96

7

Virasat-E-Khalsa, Anandpur Sahib, Punjab

27.4

650.33

8

Punjab Technical University, Jalandhar

40

330.14

9

Punjab Mandi Board, Mohali

18.9

191.06

10

8 Industrial Training Institutes, Punjab

1.19

97.50

11

Sardar Swarn Singh National Institute of Renewable Energy, Jalandhar

54.5

113.98

  • Demand Side Management: Demand Side Management (DSM) has been recognized as one of the major intervention to achieve reduction in energy demands while ensuring continuous development. DSM interventions have helped utilities not only to reduce the peak electricity demands and but also to defer high investments in generation, transmission and distribution networks. In Punjab, this program is implemented in the State to improve overall energy efficiency in rural water supply schemes and the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs). The main focus on energy efficiency in ULBs is on street lighting, water/ sewage pumping and building.