The Hindu : New Delhi News : BEE strengthens energy efficiency programme

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Sunday, Jan 04, 2009
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New Delhi

BEE strengthens energy efficiency programme

Smriti Kak Ramachandran

Consumers can now pick star-rated cooking gas stoves

‘Awareness about energy efficiency is increasing’
Consumers have well received star rating

NEW DELHI: After star-rated air-conditioners and refrigerators, consumers can now pick star-rated electric geysers and cooking gas stoves. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency has brought into the ambit of star ratings appliances like motors, pump-sets, ceiling fans, LPG gas stoves, electric geysers and colour television sets.

The move is aimed at incorporating energy-efficient designs in manufacture of these everyday products.

According to BEE Director-General Ajay Mathur, these six appliances have been included in the list of star-rated products for the first time. “Awareness about energy efficiency is fast increasing. After labelling some of these products, we realised that the Indian market is producing some really efficient appliances like pump-sets for instance. We came across a company that has 32 models of pump-sets, and all with five stars,” he said.

Products are rated on the basis of the energy they consume, while those using a higher quantum of energy are given fewer stars, products that are energy-efficient are given up to five stars.

“Though it will not be mandatory for the manufacturers of these six products to obtain star ratings, we have made it necessary for products like frost-free refrigerators, tubular fluorescent lamps, room air-conditioners, direct cool refrigerators and distribution transformers to obtain star ratings,” said Dr. Mathur.

Appliances in the mandatory ratings category that fail to fetch even a single star from the BEE star ratings programme will not find a place on the market shelf from now on. “It implies that all these appliances will need at least one out of the requisite five stars. Products that do not have even one star will not be in the market,” Dr. Mathur explained.

“We have published this move in the gazette for public comments and once we receive the feedback, we will be able to bring out a final notification in this regard,” he added.

Referring to the growing demand for energy-efficient products, Dr. Mathur said: “In 2002 the sale of CFLs in India was 20 million; the figure in 2008 has reached 200 million. Similarly, in the financial year 2007-08 only 10 per cent of the refrigerators sold were rated; the figure in the current financial year has risen to 50 per cent.”

The star rating programme has been well received by consumers keen on making a saving on their energy bills. The Government for its part is banking on the use of energy-efficient products to cut down the rapidly increasing demand for power.

“We are expecting a substantial cut-down in energy demand once consumers switch over to the use of energy efficient products,” said Union Minister of State for Power Jairam Ramesh. As per the BEE assessment, because of energy-efficient products and designs, 260 MW of power generation was avoided in 2007-08 and this quantum is expected to touch 1,000 MW during the financial year 2008-09, he said.

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