Experts urge energy audit

All industrial units should conduct energy audit to enable them to identify energy saving processes and methods for implementation, said speakers in a session organised by the Bengal Chamber Of Commerce and Industry (BCCI).

"Companies should do energy audit in industries, to expand the potential of saving of the energy in various industries which consume high level of energy", said Sujoy Basu, former director of the School of Energy Studies of Jadavpur University.

The need for energy auditors in the country today was significant but concrete steps had to be taken to enforce it, he felt. The moratorium on the implementation of The Energy Conservation Act 2001 had further reduced the chances of an effective implementation of energy audit.

Currently there were around 68 energy auditors in the country whereas the actual need would run into thousands, claimed Basu.

The Act had identified several sectors like chemicals, steel, aluminium and crude petroleum refineries as consuming high levels of energy as part of normal operations. Auditing had not been put to effective use in these industries yet, he claimed.

BCCI would be organising an ‘Energy Conclave’ in the region at which the significance and the need for accredited energy auditors would be highlighted among other issues.