Consumers in Delhi's Mongolpuri area will be the first to make use of the new ‘Bachat Lamp Yojana' scheme that offers a limited number of energy-efficient bulbs at subsidised rates. The scheme, aimed at promoting energy efficiency in the city, was inaugurated by Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit on Tuesday. It is developed by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) and will now be implemented in NDPL served areas of North and North-West Delhi.
Referring to the need to switch to energy-efficient technology, Ms. Dikshit said Delhi's consumption of power is increasing by the day and interventions like energy efficient bulbs are needed to keep the demand in check.
The scheme is being implemented under a tripartite agreement of NDPL with BEE and C-Quest Capital, a carbon finance business. Under the scheme, consumers in the NDPL-served areas will be eligible for up to a maximum of four compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) at Rs.15 each in exchange of equal number of working incandescent bulbs.
NDPL plans to distribute 22 lakh CFLs to its consumers under this scheme and, once completed, it is expected to result in a reduction of more than 65 MW in the demand for energy in NDPL area, said a company spokesperson. “CFLs are an excellent alternative to the bulbs since they use five times less electricity and we are confident that our consumers will benefit immensely from the scheme,” said NDPL managing director Sunil Wadhwa.
NDPL is the first discom in Delhi to undertake the project after the BEE's Bachat Lamp Yojana Programme of activities (PoA) was officially registered with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) on April 29, 2010.
“The entire project is financed by C-Quest Capital, which will earn revenue through sale of carbon credits. The CFLs are being supplied by Energetic India and their distribution will be undertaken by Yuvraj Singh Foundation. NDPL and C-Quest Capital will distribute about 22 lakh CFLs in NDPL's distribution area. Energetic has specially designed a new generation CFL with an extended life of 10,000 hours as against the normal life of 6,000 hours for CQC, which would be distributed in the Indian households under the BLY scheme. The distribution across all areas of NDPL is expected to be completed in a phased manner by mid 2012,” said the spokesperson.
Among those present at the launch were Delhi Power Minister Haroon Yusuf, Principal Secretary (Power) Parimal Rai, BEE Director-General Ajay Mathur, and cricketer Yuvraj Singh, who is also the founder of Yuvraj Singh Foundation.
