Haryana bags National Award for energy conservation
CHANDIGARH: Haryana has been awarded the first National Award in the best states category for its excellent performance in the Energy Conservation Programmes for the year 2010 by the Government of India. With this award, Haryana has become the only State in the country to have bagged the National Award for Energy Conservation for three consecutive years.
The award was received by B.S. Yadav, Additional Director, Renewable Energy Department Haryana and HAREDA from Union Power Minister, Mr Sushil Kumar Shinde at the National Energy Conservation Day function organized by the Union Power Ministry in New Delhi today.
To recognize the efforts made by State Governments for mainstreaming energy conservation through various regulatory, promotional and awareness programmes, the Union Ministry of Power has instituted awards in the Best State’s category at the national level. Various steps taken by the Department of Renewable Energy, Haryana and HAREDA in its capacity as the State Designated Agency for Energy Conservation Programmes in the State resulted in a saving of 165 MW electricity in the State during the year 2009-10.
The Haryana Government had announced a five year State Energy Conservation Action Plan in December, 2007 with a target of achieving energy savings of 500 MW by the year 2012. So far, the energy savings quantified by HAREDA from 2007-08 to 2009-10 stand at 383 MW. The Haryana Government has taken a lead in creation of State Energy Conservation Fund and it is one of the first few States to notify the Fund Rules. A focused programme for enhancing the energy efficiency in small and medium enterprises clusters of the State has been launched.
Use of BEE star rated pump sets with minimum 4 star rating has been made mandatory for new tubewell connections as an agriculture demand side measure and the State Government is providing financial incentive to the farmers for adopting star label pumpset. Haryana is the first State in the country where energy efficiency based procurement policy has been made mandatory for all Government Departments and Corporations. To promote the solar water heating technology in the State, incentives like financial assistance and rebate in electricity bills on installation of solar water heating systems in homes are being provided.
Source: Punjab News Online
