AP govt serious about use of only recommended ACs: Official

: The Bureau of Energy Efficiency has asked all state governments to ensure implementation of its recommendation to use only air-conditioners with a default temperature at 24 degrees Celsius, as part of efforts to save energy.

The AC manufacturers have already been asked to set the recommended temperature-level in their products and all commercial establishments told to mandatorily use only such machines.

In a communique to the state governments, the Director General of the bureau Abhay Bhakre asked them to ensure strict implementation of the recommendation.

Andhra Pradesh State Energy Conservation Mission said in a press release here Friday that the trade establishments include hotels, shopping malls, airports, offices and government buildings among others.

Principal Secretary (energy) Ajay Jain said the state government is serious about enforcing usage of appliances with the set temperature-level.

Chief executive officer of the Energy Conservation Mission Chandrasekhar Reddy said the central agency is not imposing a temperature-setting upon users.

The default setting is such at which a machine comes from the factory, he said.

The potential for energy conservation through this measure could be 20 billion units (worth Rs 10, 000 crore) annually in the country, he said.

Even if half of the consumers adopt such measures, about 10 billion units of electricity, which is equivalent to reduction of 8.2 million tonne of carbondioxide per year, can be saved. he added.

Union Power Minister R K Singh had in June said the government would consider making 24 degree Celsius as mandatory default setting for air-conditioners within a few months.

AC makers were also advised to have labelling indicating the optimum temperature for consumers both from the financial and their health points of view, the Ministry had said in a statement.

According to the statement, the AC makers had agreed on this and appreciated it as a step in the right direction.