Haryana, Punjab units focus on energy savings

Faced with power shortages, small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Haryana and Punjab are focusing on energy efficiency measures through a variety of projects.

A study conducted in Haryana by the National Productivity Council for the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) estimates the annual energy saving potential of five SME clusters at 89.715 million units (MU) or 3,621 tonnes of oil equivalent (TOE).

The five clusters in the state are plywood in Yamunanagar, utensils in Jagadhri, light engineering in Faridabad, rice mills in Karnal and power looms in Panipat.

Every unit of electricity saved by SMEs would add to their profitability, said Rajive Chawla, president of the Faridabad Small Industries Association (FSIA). SMEs in Faridabad district are looking to gain through a World Bank-funded project being implemented by Sidbi, which aims to help units adopt energy-efficient measures at subsidised rates.

First, energy awareness is generated among the units, followed by ‘walk-through audits’. After the walk-through audit a full-fledged audit is conducted, based on which recommendations on energy efficiency are given to the unit.

FSIA believes that at least 200-odd units could benefit from the project, since the cost is being subsidised.

The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), which is implementing a Business Development Service (BDS) project in clusters in Chandigarh, Mohali and Panchkula, had also conducted pilot energy audits in four manufacturing units to help SMEs in the region to identify their energy saving potential.

The improvements suggested by the energy audits indicated that units could reduce their electrical energy consumption by up to 20 per cent, and thermal energy consumption by seven per cent.