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The Ministry of Power is implementing measures to save energy with an objective to reduce CO2 emission levels in the environment from industries, establishments and by using equipment/ appliances.
PAT
- In this regard, Perform Achieve and Trade (PAT) Scheme is a key programme for large industries and establishments.
- This scheme aims to enhance the cost-effectiveness of energy savings by upgrading technologies or by taking in-house actions to minimize energy consumption.
- The scheme provides mandatory targets for the identified Large Units and the excess energy saved by them is issued as Energy Saving Certificate, which are tradable instruments.
- The different industries and establishments are assigned separate energy efficiency targets based on their levels of energy consumption and the potential for energy savings.
Standards and Labeling (S&L) Program
- To enable market transformation of efficient products, Standards and Labeling (S&L) Program was introduced by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE).
- The objective of S&L is to provide the consumers, an informed choice about the energy savings potential and thereby the cost saving due to the products available in the market.
- The scheme includes display of energy performance labels on key energy consuming equipment & appliances, with stipulation for minimum energy performance standards.
- The scheme has now included 28 appliances till March 2021 and over 15000 models of energy efficient products have been awarded Star labels, a popular symbol among the consumers for endorsing energy savings.
- The impact of using a huge number of efficient products by the citizens have resulted into an estimated electricity savings of 56 Billion Units during 2020-21, worth over Rs. 30000 crore.
- This initiative has been effective in reducing the CO2 emissions of approx.
Carbon dioxide and its impact
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2) is the well-known greenhouse gas on our planet Earth.
- Rapid increase in its concentration in atmosphere is major cause of global temperature rise which in turn leads to many environmental and healthcare problems.
- The ‘greenhouse effect’ works in case of CO2 when solar radiation hits the surface of the earth, part of the heat escapes the atmosphere while balance heat gets trapped which in turn, raises the earth’s temperature. This is a phenomenon popularly known as global warming.
- This primarily results in severe impact on climate change, which has a ripple effect over all natural ecosystems, and by extension, all industries and people around the globe.
Source: PIB