News Excerpt:

The President of India presented the National Energy Conservation Awards 2023 and National Energy Efficiency Innovation Awards 2023 on the occasion of National Energy Conservation Day.

About:

National Energy Conservation Awards (NECA) 2023:

• To raise awareness about energy efficiency and its conservation, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under the guidance of the Ministry of Power, recognizes and encourages endeavours of industrial units, institutions, and establishments in reducing energy consumption.
• A total of 63 prizes comprising 20 first prizes, 16 second prizes and 27 Certificates of Merit are being awarded under NECA 2023.
• State Energy Efficiency Performance Award (Group 1) Karnataka (1st), Haryana (2nd)
• State Energy Efficiency Performance Award (Group 2) Andhra Pradesh (1st)
• State Energy Efficiency Performance Award (Group 3) Assam (1st)
• State Energy Efficiency Performance Award (Group 4) Chandigarh (1st)

National Energy Efficiency Innovation Awards (NEEIA) 2023:

• To recognize outstanding work and innovative minds of India in the area of Energy Efficiency, NEEIA was started in the year 2021.
• It is awarded in various categories viz. 

• • Category A: Industries, Building and Transport and 
  • Category B: Students and Research Scholars.
• The awards are evaluated based on Replicability, Affordability, Reliability, Impact on Energy Savings and Impact on Environment & Sustainability.
• A total of 8 prizes comprising 1 first prize, 1 second prize and 6 Certificates of Recognition are being awarded under NEEIA 2023.

National Energy Conservation Day:

• It is celebrated on December 14 every year, in order to spread the message on the importance of conserving energy.
• It is being organized by the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), under Ministry of Power.

Initiatives regarding energy conservation:

• Green Energy Open Access Rules, 2022:

• • These rules are notified for promoting generation, purchase and consumption of green energy including the energy from Waste-to-Energy plants.
  • Consumers are entitled to demand supply of Green Power from Discoms. Discoms would be obligated to procure and supply green power to eligible consumers.
  • Commercial and Industrial consumers are allowed to purchase green power on voluntarily basis.

• Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO):

• • It mandates that all electricity distribution licensees should purchase or produce a minimum specified quantity of their requirements from Renewable Energy Sources.

• • This is as per the Indian Electricity Act, 2003.

• • The State Electricity Regulatory Commissions fix the minimum RPO for the State.

• Green Credit Program (GCP):

• • It is an innovative market-based mechanism designed to incentivize voluntary environmental actions across diverse sectors, by various stakeholders like individuals, communities, private sector industries, and companies.

• • The GCP's governance framework is supported by an inter-ministerial Steering Committee and The Indian Council of Forestry Research and Education (ICFRE) serves as the GCP Administrator, responsible for program implementation, management, monitoring, and operation.

• LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment):
• The concept of Lifestyle for the Environment (LiFE) was introduced by PM at COP26 at Glasgow in 2021, calling upon the global community of individuals and institutions to drive LiFE as an international mass movement towards “mindful and deliberate utilisation, instead of mindless and destructive consumption” to protect and preserve the environment.
• LiFE puts individual and collective duty on everyone to live a life that is in tune with Earth and does not harm it.
• Those who practice such a lifestyle are recognised as Pro Planet People, under LiFE.

Prelims PYQ

Q. On which of the following, can you find the Bureau of Energy Efficiency Star Label? (UPSC 2016)

1. Ceiling fans
2. Electric geysers
3. Tubular fluorescent lamps

Select the correct answer using the codes given below:

(a) 1 and 2 only

(b) 3 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3