Punjab New and Renewable Energy Sources Department on Wednesday launched Punjab State Energy Action Plan to ensure promotion of energy efficiency in buildings, industries, municipalities, agriculture, transport and other sectors. The Energy Action Plan is aimed at assisting Punjab government departments or agencies to adopt most sustainable, long-term, and inter-sectoral renewable or clean energy plan.
 
The state’s Additional Chief Secretary (New and Renewable Energy Sources) A Venu Prasad, PEDA chairman HS Hanspal, and Head of Indo-German Energy Programme GIZ Dr Winfried Damm also launched Decision Support Tool (DST) along with the Amritsar Smart City Portal and Renewable Purchase Obligations (RPO) portal for the state of Punjab.
 
“Amritsar will be developed as Solar City,” said Venu Prasad, adding that the State Energy Action Plan will help to achieve the goals towards Net Zero in each sector, that is Agriculture, Power, Renewable, CBG, Municipalities, Transport, Buildings and Industries.
 
PEDA has also signed a MoU with GIZ’s IGEN Access to Energy programme funded by the German Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development for seeking technical assistance with the help of a well-experienced team of consultants and representatives of over 20 departments or organizations.
 
Emphasizing on the need for fast-tracking implementation of the action plan and reviewing the progress quarterly, he asked all the departments to come forward to equip their office buildings with solar panels to decarbonize the power sector, which will help in reducing their power consumption charges to 25 to 30 per cent.
 
PEDA chairman HS Hanspal said that PEDA is the Punjab Government’s designated agency for implementation of the Energy Conservation Act, 2001 and PEDA’s vision to achieve Net Zero Goals by 2070. He also mentioned about the State Energy Efficiency Action Plan (SEEAP) being prepared by BEE at the State level. Punjab has also developed a State Energy Vision 2047.
 
Appreciating the efforts of PEDA for taking the lead to prepare this unique document, Head Indo-German Energy Programme GIZ Dr Winfried Damm explained the importance of long-term energy planning to meet India’s ambition on achieving Net Zero Goal.
 
He emphasized on the role of all government departments and citizens of the state in realizing the targets set at the international stage. Dr Damm also shared examples from different European nations and their sectoral initiatives to decarbonize their economy, mostly by 2050, Germany by 2045.