BRICS nations to work on energy saving, research

BRICS nations have come out with a draft action plan to jointly work on research as well as technological development to promote energy saving and efficiency through a host of initiatives that could be supported by the group's development bank.
The draft action plan, adopted at the two-day meeting of the Working Group here today, will be submitted for approval of the Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) ministers for energy later this year.
Additional Secretary (Power) B P Pandey, who represented India in the Working Group, told reporters here that "broad elements" agreed upon included building capacities, sharing best practices and policies, developing technology, promoting energy efficient and saving methods/tools by business entities as well as financing of such initiatives through BRICS Development Bank.

"China has top-10 best practices, including in solar energy. Russia has launched a programme to build awareness (on energy saving) at the school level. Brazil has come out with certain regulations on use of energy efficient lighting and appliances.
"The South African government is supporting energy efficient lighting programme in the country. In India, we have taken up four programmes in this direction," Pandey said.
He added: "Under the Paris Agreement, India is committed to reduce emissions by 30-35 per cent by the year 2030. Accordingly, we have launched a series of programmes aimed at improving energy efficiency.

"The National Mission on Lighting, star-labelling of appliances, energy saving in the industrial sector through PAT (Perform, Achieve, Trade) and implementation of Energy Conservation Building Code...All are aimed at improving energy efficiency and reducing emissions."

Pandey said the Centre has set a target of producing 160 GW of renewable energy by 2022. "By 2030, 40 per cent of our (electricity) installed capacity will be renewable energy. Solar power is becoming more competitive these days with price being less than Rs 5 per unit. China has gone in a big way in solar energy and we can emulate that."
The statement was issued after the conclusion of the first
two-day meeting of BRICS Working Group on 'Energy Saving and Energy Efficiency' here today.
It said that as a measure of the commitment to this cause, each BRICS Member country decided to appoint a focal point for interaction and coordination with other BRICS countries and to support the Working Group in deepening this cooperation.

The draft Action plan on development of Cooperation in Energy Saving & Energy Efficiency and the draft terms of reference of the BRICS Working Group on Energy Saving and Improvement of Energy Efficiency were discussed. They will be submitted for the approval by the BRICS Ministers of Energy and Energy Efficiency.
The goals and objectives incorporated in the draft Action Plan included implementation of the areas of cooperation between the BRICS countries as identified in the Memorandum of Understanding on energy saving and energy efficiency.
The draft also includes elaboration of the work plan on development of cooperation in energy saving and energy efficiency within BRICS till 2020 and beyond.

Senior delegates from Brazil, China, Russia, South Africa and India attended the meeting as a follow up to the Memorandum of Mutual Understanding in Energy Saving and Energy Efficiency signed between BRICS Nations in the month of November 2015 in Moscow.
The Working Group exchanged best practices amongst the Member countries in the field of energy efficiency, including the smart street light project in Vishakhapatnam, and suggested that BRICS member countries may explore the possibility of replicating the model.
Xolile Mabusela (South Africa), Shancheng Wang (China), Olga Yudina (Russia) and Paula Rassi (Brazil) represented their countries at the Working Group meet.

The BRICS delegates went round Visakhapatnam last evening to inspect the LED street lighting system that resulted in a power saving of 70 lakh units and Rs 4.20 crore per annum.
While this has been a pioneering effort in the country, the Visakhapatnam LED project has now started attracting international attention following its huge success, according to Energy Efficiency Services Limited Managing Director Saurabh Kumar.