INTRODUCTION
In the pursuit of an Energy-efficient future, nations around the world are correspondingly adopting various methods. These nations are adopting these methods to minimize carbon footprints and promote the use of cleaner sources of energy. India is no way behind this and eventually initiated a National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency. This Mission is one of the components of 8 missions under the National Action Plan on Climate Change. The mission’s main aim is to raise a conducive market for energy efficiency by establishing supportive laws and policies. The cabinet meeting held on 24.06.2010 had approved the NMEEE document and funding. The government approved NMEEE documents and funding for two years of the 11th Plan period(2010-12) with an expenditure of Rs. 235.50 crores. The Cabinet approved the NMEEE for the 12th plan on 06.08.2014 with a total outlay of Rs 775 crores.
THE FOUR PILLARS OF National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency:-
1.Perform Achieve and Trade Scheme(PAT):-
It is a market-based system to increase the cost-effectiveness in enhancing Energy Efficiency in Energy -intensive industries. It is done through certification of energy saving which can be traded. This applies to large-scale energy-intensive industries.
2.Market Transformation for Energy Efficiency: –
Emphasizes to production of innovative appliances that are completely affordable and energy-efficient.
Bachat Lamp yojna(BLY): The Government started the program to change unfit bulbs with Compact Fluorescent Lamps(CFLs). On average 30 million bulbs are replaced with CFLs, saving energy of 3.6 billion units.
3.Energy Efficiency Financing Platform:-
Ensures that there is sufficient finance at reasonable rates for energy efficiency project implementation.
4.Framework for Energy Efficient Economic Development: –
Developing budgetary instruments to promote energy efficiency.
The Government undertook this initiative to tackle the distress of banks and investors who are against taking risks. The mission provides innovative fiscal instruments. To uplift the confidence of Banks and investors BEE started 2 different kinds of funds. BEE did this to reduce the risks of projects getting blocked due to lack of funds. Following are the two different kinds of funds:-
1. Partial Risk Guarantee Fund for Energy Efficiency
2.Venture capital Fund for Energy Efficiency.
IMPLEMENTING AGENCIES FOR NMEEE:-
1. Bureau of Energy Efficiency(BEE)
2. Energy Efficiency Services Limited(EESL)
RESULT OF NMEEE IMPLEMENTATION:-
1.BEE is the executing agency for PAT and the duration of 1st cycle of PAT, is from 2012 to 2015. In first cycle of PAT, 478 industries were consequently able to reduce their emission by 30 million Tonnes of CO2.
- 2nd PAT cycle was operated from April 2016 to March 2019 with a target to explicitly reduce energy consumption by approximately 9 million Tons of Oil Equivalent(MTOE) covering 11 sectors.
3. BEE started the third cycle of PAT correspondingly in 2017, from 2017-18 to 2019-20.PAT cycle-III aims to reach an overall energy consumption reduction of 1.06 MTOE. To reach this target, BEE instructed the same to 116 Consumers covering mainly 6 sectors. These sectors include Iron and Steel, Thermal Power plants, Pulp and paper, Cement, and textiles.
4. A great success story of EESL ie. Energy Efficiency Service Limited was finally the implementation of Unnat Jyoti Affordable LEDs for All (UJALA). The use of LED bulbs has resulted in huge energy savings for the nation and consequently, a decrease in Carbon emissions every year by 30 million tonnes is recorded.
5. The BEE is now implementing the PAT Scheme as a rolling cycle where new units will be specifically notified for 3 years annually.
6. PAT cycle-IV operated from 2018-19 to 2020-21 will specifically concentrate on 8 sectors, consisting of 6 existing sectors mentioned in PAT cycle-III and two new sectors. Furthermore, the two new sectors are construction and Petrochemicals.
7. PAT cycle-V is from 2019-20 to 2021-22 and started from April 2019. Under Cycle V the sectors apprised are Cement, Commercial buildings like Hotels and Malls, Chlor-Alkali, Aluminium, Iron & Steel, Pulp & Paper, Thermal Power plant, and Textiles.
8. PAT Cycle VI period was from 2019-20 to 2022-23 and six sectors were apprised in this cycle. The six sectors are Commercial Buildings like Hotels and Malls, Cement, Iron and Steel, Pulp and paper, Petroleum Refinery, and Textile.
9.PAT Cycle VII is started in Oct-2021 and the period is from 2022-23 to 24-25.wherein 509 DCs(Designated Consumers) have been notified with an overall energy savings of 6.627MTOE.
OBJECTIVE OF NMEEE:-
Followings are the objectives of NMEEE:-
1. Reduce consumption of energy: The main goal of this mission is to correspondingly decrease overall energy usage across various sectors. Thereby the mission helps Energy-intensive industries that use a lot of energy during the manufacturing processes.
2. Reduce energy footprints: The mission aims to minimize energy footprints and also encourage investment in the energy-efficient sector.
3. Stimulate Energy-Efficient Technology: NMEEE plans to stimulate businesses as well as industries to embrace cleaner and energy-efficient technologies, promoting a sustainable and eco-friendly approach.
4. Empower and enable consumers: The National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency empowers consumers to make informed choices by giving Energy performance labels on appliances, and hence promotes energy-efficient products. This is done after all through the Standards and Labeling program.
5. Create a competitive market: The Perform, Achieve, and Trade(PAT) scheme under NMEEE brings competition among industries to exceed energy efficiency targets and thus promotes the creation of a vigorous and competitive market for energy-saving technologies.
6. Reduce Carbon Intensity: NMEEE aims to minimize the carbon intensity of the Indian economy and thereby contributes significantly to the nation’s dedication to reducing the effect of climate change.
7. Arrange Financing for Energy Efficiency Projects: The Energy Efficiency Financing Platform expedites funds and also addresses the financial barriers that often hamper businesses from investing in Energy-efficient products.
8. Promote Innovation: The mission promotes research and innovation in clean and green technologies and operating advancements that ultimately lead to more sustainable and efficient practices.
CHALLENGES AND WAY FORWARD:-
CHALLENGES:
1. Implementations Bottleneck: – Implementation at the grassroots level and also overcoming infrastructure. After all energy-efficient challenges are critical for the success of the mission.
2. Awareness Gap: Small industries as well as consumers are not aware of the importance of saving energy and also using energy efficient appliances. The awareness energy-efficient gap is one major hurdle for promoting the mission.
3. Inclusivity of all scale industries: Participation of all scale industries in all sectors is important for extensive as well as justifiable progress.
4. Difficulty in prediction: As a matter of fact the outcome of the mission is practically difficult to anticipate.
5. Technology Gap: The lack of recent development in research and technology facilities poses a significant challenge in energy efficient sectors.
WAY FORWARD:
- Sponsorship: The government should call industries to sponsor infrastructure development to fight the bottleneck. Concurrently investment should be made to enhance the capacity for effective implementation of energy efficiency missions.
- Education and awareness campaign: Training as well as awareness campaign to train industries and consumers to make them understand the benefits of available initiatives under NMEEE.
- Incentives for Small-scale industries: Providing support mechanisms and incentives to encourage the active participation of small-scale industries may correspondingly lead proper growth of the mission.
- Periodic Policy Review: Regularly reviewing the progress of NMEEE and updating the policies to redesign evolving technological advancements and emerging challenges in the energy efficiency environment.
- Collaborative approach: Collaboration between Government, Industries, Local bodies, and the public and thus encouraging community.
CONCLUSION:
In conclusion, the National Mission for Enhanced Energy Efficiency is like a superhero for a country like India which is facing Energy problems at the grassroots level. Through this mission, the superhero ensures that we use energy smartly and consequently save the planet. With its emphasis on energy conservation, supporting businesses and industries NMEEE is creating a greener as well as cheaper future. By supporting the mission and by using energy smartly we may also contribute to the success story of this mission. Though there are so many hurdles in the path of NMEEE, with our dedication and commitment we are sure to overcome them. The success of NMEEE depends upon the collective effort of the Government, Industries, businesses, local communities, and citizens of India.
