Energy efficiency program may get government approval

The Indian government may approve a program that will help create a market for energy efficient products. Dubbed National Mission on Enhanced Energy Efficiency (NMEEE), the program is one of eight missions planned under the National Action Plan on Climate Change which the government hopes to implement from April 1. The key feature of the program is to boost efforts to create a market for energy efficiency products estimated to be around Rs740 billion (US$16.22 billion). After the implementation of the program, it is estimated that by 2015 about 23 million tons of oil equivalent of fuel savings in coal, gas, and petroleum products, will be achieved every year, along with an expected avoided capacity addition of more than 19,000 megawatts (MW). The consequential carbon dioxide emission reduction is estimated to be 98.55 million tons annually. (March 10, 2010)