Losing your cool over your air-conditioner blowing a hole in your monthly budget?
The Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), which provides the legal framework for the Union Power Ministry’s energy saving initiatives, has put out an AC energy calculator on its website, >www.SaveEnergy.co.in , and has launched an ‘AC Power Saver’ application for smartphones.
Consumers can key in details such as the type of building (house, bank, office, restaurant, etc.), the type and capacity of the air conditioner, the energy efficiency rating of the product, the number of ACs in the building, and the number of hours and days it will be used. The tool will calculate the energy cost and energy saved in five years and 10 years.
Since the electricity tariff is the same throughout a State, the BEE plans to have at least one city in each State added to the list of cities it has on the website.
BEE Director-General Ajay Mathur says air-conditioners consume substantial energy at home. If a buyer goes to a showroom and is unable to decide on the right energy-efficient product, he can go to the AC power saver application on his handset and know more about the energy saving and energy cost of the AC he wants to buy. The consumer is better informed about the energy efficiency of the product. The mobile application was launched about a month ago.
The BEE plans to develop a similar tool for refrigerators.
